This page contains best practice examples of resources that are commonly required for public policy advocacy work. These resources include explainers that describe key policy positions, guides on how to build a campaign or write a policy brief, examples of open letters and public comments submitted to governments.
The resources on this page come from the Wikimedia Foundation's Global Advocacy team as well as Wikimedia affiliates and allies.
The policy position primers below are a centralized source of the essential information related to each of Wikimedia's core policy priorities. They cover: why this policy issue is relevant for the Wikimedia movement, Wikimedia's general position on the topic, core talking points, and further reading material to understand the issue. These resources were developed in November, 2025.
Digital Public Goods and Digital Public Infrastructure
These concepts are important to governments around the world who are trying to invest in and build platforms that are not dependant on US or Chinese technologies, and who see the need for purpose-built technology that is meant to serve the public interest. The official designation of Wikpedia and Wikidata as digital public goods are something you can point to as proof that the content on Wikimedia projects, as well as the people who create and maintain that content, are essential sources and contributors of information, which serves the public interest. For this reason, policymakers should protect the Wikipedia projects, their people, and the Wikimedia model of community governance. Asking policymakers to protect “digital public goods” is a non-partisan call to action: something representatives from every political party can support. In politically polarized environments, recognitions like this help affirm the neutrality of our projects and the non-partisan nature of our core principles. Resources to help you craft your message on this topic:
The Wikimedia Foundation's contributions to the Global Digital Compact
The resources below are part of a global, collaborative campaign that Wikimedia Affiliates and WMF ran to influence the Global Digital Compact from 2023–2025. The compact is meant to develop a "shared principles for an open, free and secure digital future for all"; it is meant to act as a universal normative guide much like the Sustainable Development Goals. The resources cover topics such as: Human Rights online; global digital commons; AI and emerging technologies; digital trust and safety; and accelerating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Wikimedia Foundation's contributions to the Global Digital Compact This PDF provides an overview of Wikimedia's positive vision for what the Internet should look like. It covers key digital principles and common rules that we think should guide the development of our global digital future. This document was created in April, 2023.
Thematic deep dives on the Global Digital Compact This PDF contains speeches that the Foundation's Global Advocacy team and some affiliates made on priority topics. Topics include: Human Rights online; global digital commons; AI and emerging technologies; digital trust and safety; and accelerating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. This is a useful resource to craft positions on specific issues.
WMF Human Rights Impact Assessments and Transparency Reports
The Foundation has published multiple reports to understand how Wikimedia Enterprise, AI tools, and Foundation operations individually impact human rights. These publications are excellent resources to point to when you're creating talking points or writing a statement about Wikimedia's values. It affirms our movement's commitment to promoting human rights online by taking tangible actions, as well as our commitment to transparently sharing the challenges we face and how we're addressing these. The Wikimedia Foundation's Transparency Reports are another resource that can be used in a similar manner. You can use any of the following Human Rights Impact Assessments:
One-pager that explains how Wikimedia's model of community self-governance works and why it is important. These one-pagers are useful to print as leave-behinds at events, or to get general position ideas.
One-pager that explains why an open, free, and secure internet matters for the Wikimedia model, and how internet fragmentation would negatively impact our projects.
Repositories: Copyright Advocacy Campaign Material & Anti-Disinformation Tools
Anti-Disinformation Repository: Crowd-sourced repository of all the tools, tactics and initiatives that Wikimedians have developed to combat disinformation and promote trustworthy information. Resources include bot scripts, lists of reliable sources, media literacy trainings, and more.
Copyright Repository: Copyright Advocacy Mapping Report 2023 Crowd-sourced repository of materials that Wikimedians have created as part of their campaigns for copyright reform. Content includes examples of open letters, public comments, letters to parliament, infographics, campaign images, and more. It should be used alongside this report, which summarizes the findings of a mapping that the Wikimedia Foundation conducted in 2023 to understand what public policy advocacy initiatives around copyright reform Wikimedia affiliates have taken since 2016, their motivations to do so, their methods for engaging in advocacy work, the common challenges and successes they may have experienced, as well as the capacity and resources they invested in this work. The report also includes key recommendations.
Wikimedia Europe Policy Documentation: Repository of Wikimedia Europe's public policy documents such as position papers, campaigns, brochures, as well as useful studies and blogs for more information on priority policy issues. A useful resource for examples of how to create policy publications or positions.
Wikimedia Commons - Free Knowledge Advocacy Category: Repository of all public policy content that Wikimedians create as part of their public policy advocacy work such as PDFs of public comments, official submissions to governments, workshop slides, presentations, and more. This was created in 2023 and is stil sparingly used, but we hope it will become a centralized resource for all Wikimedians who engage in public policy advocacy.
Changemakers' Toolkit This 2024 toolkit offers free, self-guided training modules on essential skills required for advocacy work. It was developed by Wikimedia UK in partnership with the Sheila McKechnie Foundation. Two modules are particularly useful. Module 2, "analysing the problem and planning for change," helps you plan impactful campaigns and use tools like the Problem Tree to build a campaign strategy. Module 3, "communication for change," will help you target your key audiences and how to frame an impactful message for each stakeholder group. The toolkit is also available as a course on Learn.Wiki.
Template: How to Build an Advocacy Strategy This Meta-Wiki page is a timeless template that helps you create a public policy advocacy strategy. By answering a series of promots you will identify your goals, conduct power mapping, and design a communications strategy as well as possible tactics.
General EU Policy Strategy Examples This link presents strategy and argumentation sub-pages of the Free Knowledge Advocacy Group EU on Freedom of Panorama and Government works in the public domain.
Toolkit: Libraries, Development and the United Nations 2030 Agenda This toolkit provides guidance on how to advocate to national and regional policy makers to ensure that access to information is included as part of national and regional development plans that will contribute to meeting the global 2030 agenda for the Sustainable Development Goals. It includes examples of how libraries worlwide have implemented some of these tactics, as well as links to external resources like an advocacy toolkit that helps national-level civil society stakeholders engage with their governments and other local, regional or international stakeholders to support the planning, implementation, follow-up and accountability of securing Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Toolkit: Internet Impact Assessment by the Internet Society This toolkit provides guidance on advocating and designing strong arguments to defend and strengthen the Internet. Modeled on environmental impact assessments, this toolkit provides the full lifecycle for an effective advocacy effort by any type of stakeholder.
Paradigm Initative's Ayeta Digital Rights Toolkit The Paradigm Initiative's digital rights toolkit is a fantastic starting point for all experience levels of digital rights activism. Specifically, the report's sections 1.7 & 1.8 ("Model Policy Briefs" & "Model Coalition Statements")(pgs. 13-14).
Toolkit: Skill Up Your Activism with Amnesty International For any activists interested in skill-building and training modules, this resource is for you! Amnesty International is one of the globe's leading voices on human rights activism with lessons applicable to other global movements.
Public Knowledge's Advocacy Toolkit Public Knowledge is a leading organization for legislative and regulatory work in U.S. tech policy spaces. Their essential guide provides help in all the key steps for public advocacy. Specifically, their SMART goals for advocates; Building Relationships: Allies, Coalitions, and Government; Advocacy Tactics: Congressional Hearings, Public Speaking, and Arguing are all must reads!
Veto the SIM Card Registration Bill, Protect Fundamental Human Rights This is a letter by the Foundation for Media Alternatives calling on Philippine president to veto the country’s proposed SIM Card Registration Act given the serious threat it poses to human rights, particularly the right to privacy and free expression. Published 2022.
Public Interest Letter Opposing Journalism Competition & Preservation Act (JCPA) This letter, co-authored with other Public Interest Advocates, showcases the importance of acting against a well-intentioned law that seeks to remunerate journalists, but that otherwise has the potential of curbing the free-flow of knowledge in the internet. Published in 2022.
Participating in these consultations is an important way to highlight how a legislation might impact the free knowledge movement; it allows you to share concerns and also suggest improvements. Participating in these consultations can also result in being invited to futher discussions with policy makers.
Wikimedia Foundation's position on UNESCO guidelines for regulating digital platforms This resource is an example of how to explain the Wikimedia model and use this as the basis for a position on what platform regulation should look like. This resource was published in 2023 as part of the consultation on UNESCO’s guidelines on regulatory frameworks for digital content platforms. The 2022 response to the consultation process is also available.
Wikimedia EU Positive Vision for the Internet This PDF is a great example of a policy position, as well as how to present a positive vision for the Internet based on principles like human-centeredness, freedom of expression, and inclusion. The resource was created in 2021 to describe Wikimedia EU's position on liability exemptions for free software.
Wikimedia Colombia's Comments on Bill No. 206 of 2018 These public comments are an example of a copyright campaign around access to indigenous knowledge and languages before the executive and legislative branches of a country.
How To Write Effective Public Comments This is a great guide from an environmental advocacy organization. The advice is parallel to the work and lessons needed to be a strong advocate for Wikimedians and other movement allies.
Decentralized content moderation This slide deck was created by Wikimedia Indonesia to explain how decentralized, community-led content moderation works on Wikipedia. May, 2023.
WMUA and WMCZ presentation on combatting disinformation This slide deck presents the perspectives of Wikimedia Ukraine and Wikimedia Czech Republic on combatting disinformation by self-organized online communities. No recording available. 2022.
Public Money Public Good // Öffentliches Geld Öffentliches Gut This campaign is an example of a call for action directed to public broadcasting stations to keep educational content available online under a free license in order to avoid deletion or removal of content.
Freedom of Panorama in South Africa This page on Wikimedia Commons is a campaign page that articulates the importance of Freedom of Panorama. It also provides useful campaign resources including a three-minute pitch to describe the issue and promote Wikimedia South Africa's proposed solution, as well as images that demonstrate the negative impact of the current legislation.
Fair Copyright Oz This page was used for a 2017 Australian advocacy campaign for copyright reform.
Remix Initiative This campaign offers an interactive platform in Portuguese with resources for users to explore and understand copyright law and its implications in Brazil. Some of the resources include guides for libraries, guides to copyright law and open education, and introduction to intelectual property. The Remix Initiative also offers an interactive learning experience, which includes copyright concepts, scenarios, and case studies, allowing users to engage with the content of copyright law.
Let's Connect Workshop on Copyright Reform and Advocacy featuring experiences from Wikimedia Colombia and Wikimedia Italia. January 30, 2024. See slide deck and video recording.
Free knowledge for research. Open norms, science and AI This 2024 report by WM Sweden covers essential copyright topics such as the three-step test and freedom of panorama, open science and open access, as well as text and data mining and AI.
Valuation of Unprotected Works: A Case Study of Public Domain Photographs on Wikipedia This paper attempts to objectively place a value on the body of public domain photographs and illustrations which are used in biographical Wikipedia pages, finding that the most historically remote subjects are more likely to have images on their web pages because their biographical life-spans pre-date the existence of in-copyright imagery.
Nobody puts research in a cage. Study by Communia, Wikimedia Sverige and other free knowledge advocates that presents researchers’ perspectives on working with copyright. A useful tool to describe how the right to research relies on copyright exceptions and limitations to access, use and reuse protected data sources. Published 2023.
Public Lending Right: An Introductory Guide This guide is an example of educational material about PLR systems worldwide and their implementation in different countries. The guide is aimed at individuals, organizations, and governments understanding and studing PLR for the first time and who are seeking information on how PLR operates, how it benefits authors, how it has been established globally.
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