Page MenuHomePhabricator

[CV] Don't allow / resolve double spaces in text fields
Open, Needs TriagePublic

Description

Problem
Editors are using double spaces to circumvent constraints and our duplicate checks (no two Items with the same label and description in a given language),

It's possible to insert double space characters: https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?title=Q4115189&diff=1160235627&oldid=1160235511 (and even more).

Solution
To prevent a reduction in data quality and redundancy, we must remove the ability for editors to insert double spaces and edits with double spaces are adjusted to single spaces.

Spaces at the beginning of labels, aliases and descriptions are removed when publishing edits.

Acceptance Criteria

  • Editors are no longer able to to publish changes with double spaces

Event Timeline

Here is a concrete example of people gaming the system using extra spaces.

https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Project_chat#Using_spaces_to_circumvent_uniqueness_constraints.

Can this idea be triaged?

Lydia_Pintscher subscribed.

Additional info for the team: It's not great for data quality because it circumvents our duplicate checks (no two Items with the same label and description in a given language).

Here is a concrete example of people gaming the system using extra spaces.

https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Project_chat#Using_spaces_to_circumvent_uniqueness_constraints.

Can this idea be triaged?

The linked conversation has been archived, so that link no longer works. It can now be found here:
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Project_chat/Archive/2025/08#h-Using_spaces_to_circumvent_uniqueness_constraints-20250810212300

karapayneWMDE renamed this task from Don't allow / resolve double spaces in text fields to [CV] Don't allow / resolve double spaces in text fields.Mar 19 2026, 4:22 PM
karapayneWMDE edited projects, added: Wikidata Omega Product; removed: Wikidata-Omega.
karapayneWMDE subscribed.