Wikimedia Forum/Archives/2021-08

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Universal Code of Conduct News – Issue 1

Universal Code of Conduct News
Issue 1, June 2021Read the full newsletter


Welcome to the first issue of Universal Code of Conduct News! This newsletter will help Wikimedians stay involved with the development of the new code, and will distribute relevant news, research, and upcoming events related to the UCoC.

Please note, this is the first issue of UCoC Newsletter which is delivered to all subscribers and projects as an announcement of the initiative. If you want the future issues delivered to your talk page, village pumps, or any specific pages you find appropriate, you need to subscribe here.

You can help us by translating the newsletter issues in your languages to spread the news and create awareness of the new conduct to keep our beloved community safe for all of us. Please add your name here if you want to be informed of the draft issue to translate beforehand. Your participation is valued and appreciated.

  • Affiliate consultations – Wikimedia affiliates of all sizes and types were invited to participate in the UCoC affiliate consultation throughout March and April 2021. (continue reading)
  • 2021 key consultations – The Wikimedia Foundation held enforcement key questions consultations in April and May 2021 to request input about UCoC enforcement from the broader Wikimedia community. (continue reading)
  • Roundtable discussions – The UCoC facilitation team hosted two 90-minute-long public roundtable discussions in May 2021 to discuss UCoC key enforcement questions. More conversations are scheduled. (continue reading)
  • Phase 2 drafting committee – The drafting committee for the phase 2 of the UCoC started their work on 12 May 2021. Read more about their work. (continue reading)
  • Diff blogs – The UCoC facilitators wrote several blog posts based on interesting findings and insights from each community during local project consultation that took place in the 1st quarter of 2021. (continue reading)
This section was archived on a request by:  — billinghurst sDrewth 00:54, 12 August 2021 (UTC)

New account update + UGN sign-ups

I have decided that, instead of waiting a while, I am creating my new account, Another Wiki User the 3rd, in 8 days. Oh, and also I am making a user group network.

UGN Sign-ups: User:Another Wiki User the 2nd/User group network sign-ups (Phase 1-1) Other ones are locked at this point on time. Another Wiki User the 2nd (talk) 16:08, 9 August 2021 (UTC)

Why? ✍️ Dušan Kreheľ (talk) 18:48, 9 August 2021 (UTC)
Beacause: A. I am impatient and B. I want to.
We have a better ways. Look/study:
✍️ Dušan Kreheľ (talk) 19:11, 9 August 2021 (UTC)
Cancelled. Another Wiki User the 2nd (talk) 20:51, 11 August 2021 (UTC)
This section was archived on a request by:  — billinghurst sDrewth 00:54, 12 August 2021 (UTC)

Call for Candidates for the Movement Charter Drafting Committee (Aug 2 - Sept 1, 2021)

The call for candidates for the Movement Charter Drafting Committee is now open. The full announcement is below. Xeno (WMF) (talk) 15:51, 2 August 2021 (UTC)

Read in other languages

Movement Strategy announces the Call for Candidates for the Movement Charter Drafting Committee. The Call opens August 2, 2021 and closes September 1, 2021.

The Committee is expected to represent diversity in the Movement. Diversity includes gender, language, geography, and experience. This comprises participation in projects, affiliates, and the Wikimedia Foundation.

English fluency is not required to become a member. If needed, translation and interpretation support is provided. Members will receive an allowance to offset participation costs. It is US$100 every two months.

We are looking for people who have some of the following skills:

  • Know how to write collaboratively. (demonstrated experience is a plus)
  • Are ready to find compromises.
  • Focus on inclusion and diversity.
  • Have knowledge of community consultations.
  • Have intercultural communication experience.
  • Have governance or organization experience in non-profits or communities.
  • Have experience negotiating with different parties.

The Committee is expected to start with 15 people. If there are 20 or more candidates, a mixed election and selection process will happen. If there are 19 or fewer candidates, then the process of selection without election takes place.

Will you help move Wikimedia forward in this important role? Submit your candidacy here. Please contact strategy2030(_AT_)wikimedia.org with questions.

Is it possible to propose and make a global restriction for upload of files licensed GFDL-only?

Since 2009 GFDL have not been seen as a good license per licensing update vote result and subsequent (May 2009) Wikimedia Foundation Board resolution. Some wikis have restricted/banned uploads of files licensed GFDL-only. For example Commons as of 15 October 2018 and English Wikipedia as of 1 August 2021.

During a discussion if Commons should change the cutoff date someone suggested that there was should be a global ban/restriction for files licensed GFDL-only first. My question is if that would be possible or it would require an update to foundation:Resolution:Licensing policy? --MGA73 (talk) 06:53, 8 August 2021 (UTC)

@MGA73: I changed the text (in bold) to what I think you meant. — Alexis Jazz (talk or ping me) 11:15, 8 August 2021 (UTC)

New Wikipedia Library collections and design update (August 2021)

Hello Wikimedians!

The TWL OWL says log in today!

The Wikipedia Library is pleased to announce the addition of new collections, alongside a new interface design. New collections include:

Additionally, De Gruyter and Nomos have been centralised from their previous on-wiki signup location on the German Wikipedia. Many other collections are freely available by simply logging in to The Wikipedia Library with your Wikimedia login!

We are also excited to announce that the first version of a new design for My Library was deployed this week. We will be iterating on this design with more features over the coming weeks. Read more on the project page on Meta.

Lastly, an Echo notification will begin rolling out soon to notify eligible editors about the library (T132084). If you can translate the notification please do so at TranslateWiki!

--The Wikipedia Library Team 13:23, 11 August 2021 (UTC)

This message was delivered via the Global Mass Message tool to The Wikipedia Library Global Delivery List.

Request for comment notification

A Requests for comment/Wikimedia Enterprise started. Best. Lionel Scheepmans Contact French native speaker, sorry for my dysorthography 13:52, 17 August 2021 (UTC)

Universal Code of Conduct - Enforcement draft guidelines review

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The Universal Code of Conduct Phase 2 drafting committee would like comments about the enforcement draft guidelines for the Universal Code of Conduct (UCoC). This review period is planned to begin 17 August 2021.

Community and staff members collaborated to develop these draft guidelines based on consultations, discussions, and research. These guidelines are not final but you can help move the progress forward. Provide comments about these guidelines by 17 October 2021. The committee will be revising the guidelines based upon community input.

Everyone may share comments in a number of places. Facilitators welcome comments in any language on the draft review talk page or by email. Comments can also be shared on talk pages of translations, at local discussions, or during round-table discussions and conversation hours.

There are planned live discussions about the UCoC enforcement draft guidelines:

Wikimania 2021 session (recorded 16 August)
Conversation hours - 24 August, 31 August, 7 September @ 03:00 UTC & 14:00 UTC
Roundtable calls - 18 September @ 03:00 UTC & 15:00 UTC

The facilitation team supporting this review period hopes to reach a large number of communities. Having a shared understanding is important. If you do not see a conversation happening in your community, please organize a discussion. Facilitators can assist you in setting up the conversations.

Discussions will be summarized and presented to the drafting committee every two weeks. The summaries will be published here.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Xeno (WMF) (talk) 17:37, 17 August 2021 (UTC)

Should wikis follow U. S. law or not + question about FOP etc.

In Talk:Wikimedia_Foundation_Legal_department#Question_about_copyright_for_wikis and Talk:Copyright#Copyright_on_wiki_projects I asked questions about now free wikis are to make their own rules about copyright.

For example I noted that Legal/Legal_Policies#Applicable_Law say that WMF "may request" that a local wiki policy is compliant with U.S. law. That could be read like a wiki DOES NOT have to follow U. S. law UNLESS WMF REQUEST that they do.

Some wikis host photos of buildings and statues not covered by FOP. Is that for example okay?

Can wikis host files that are free in their home country but not in the U. S.?

I visit many wikis to check files but it is sometimes hard to persuade local wikis to delete the files when there is no clear answer about how much they can decide on their own.

Can anyone answer the questions or tell me how I find anyone that can? --MGA73 (talk) 13:02, 11 August 2021 (UTC)

MGA73, you should have asked me. Any wiki can upload as many copyvios as they want. And copyright owners can file as many DMCA takedowns as they want. Commons hosts tons of files claiming European/Canadian/etc FoP. Any of those can be DMCA'd and sometimes they are. (see this discussion from 2018)
This actually harkens back to the "we are idiots" essay I never actually wrote: nobody can ever know what is and is not protected by copyright and unless a project becomes an organized copyvio machine, all is well. In the event a project does become an organized copyvio machine, I imagine WMF will request them to comply with US law. — Alexis Jazz (talk or ping me) 06:37, 23 August 2021 (UTC)
Alexis Jazz If any wiki can host all the copyvios they want then we should delete or change c:Commons:Project scope/Precautionary principle and close most DR's etc. on Commons as not done. I think it would require someone from Legal Staff to confirm that. I have challenged the principle a few times because some users think we should delete all that could be a copyvio where I think the words "significant doubt" means that it is okay that there is a risk it is a copyvio as long as the risk is not significant. --MGA73 (talk) 15:54, 23 August 2021 (UTC)
That's an option. Legally any project can leave copyright policing entirely to DMCA claims that Legal processes. Generally projects will police themselves though to be better aligned with the goal of the project, providing freely licensed information. Also to avoid pissing off Legal. There is often a grey area in c:COM:PRP, there's no hard line and some will certainly interpret it poorly. — Alexis Jazz (talk or ping me) 08:43, 24 August 2021 (UTC)

Universal Code of Conduct News – Issue 3

Universal Code of Conduct News
Issue 3, August 2021Read the full newsletter


Welcome to the third issue of Universal Code of Conduct News! This newsletter will help Wikimedians stay involved with the development of the new code and will distribute relevant news, research, and upcoming events related to the UCoC.

If you haven’t already, please remember to subscribe here if you would like to be notified about future editions of the newsletter, and also leave your username here if you’d like to be contacted to help with translations in the future.

  • The Enforcement Draft Guidelines - The Enforcement Draft Guidelines for the Universal Code of Conduct has just been published on meta in different languages. These guidelines include some definitions of newly introduced terms and recommendations for local enforcement structures. (continue reading)
  • Enforcement Draft Guidelines Review - Before the enforcement guidelines are finalized, they must be reviewed and discussed by the community. The facilitation team has set up various discussion means throughout this review period. (continue reading)
  • Conversation Hours & Roundtables - To listen to community opinions and exchange ideas regarding enforcement draft guidelines proposed by the drafting committee, the UCoC facilitation team will be hosting weekly conversation hours. (continue reading)
  • Wikimania Wrap-up - The facilitation team hosted a Roundtable at Wikimania 2021, featuring some WMF trustees and staff. The session offered some insights on how the Enforcement Draft Guidelines came about, and what next steps are being imagined. (continue reading)
  • Translation - Because a considerable number of Wikimedians are not English speakers, and that UCoC applies to all members, projects across the wikimedia movement, it’s of a great importance to provide adequate language support throughout this process. (continue reading)
  • Diff blogs - Check out some interesting publications about the UCoC on Wikimedia Diff blog. (continue reading)
  • WMF's 2021 Board of Trustees election - Please read the Candidate Presentations and vote! (continue reading)

MNadzikiewicz (WMF) (talk) 22:21, 27 August 2021 (UTC)

Take a look at "Structured text" new project proposal

Take a look at "Structured text" new project proposal --QDinar (talk) 14:52, 28 August 2021 (UTC)

Wikimedia Foundation 2021 Board of Trustees election has begun

Voting has begun in the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees elections!

Voting ends at 23:59, 31 August 2021 (UTC). Verify your eligibility and vote now: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:SecurePoll/vote/Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_Elections_2021

-EpicPupper, your friendly English Wikipedia election volunteer

EpicPupper (talk) 00:45, 20 August 2021 (UTC)