<div dir="ltr">Hello advocacy advisers,<div><br></div><div>As an update, here is a request for comment on whether we should support the Edicts of Government Amendment petition: <a href="https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Requests_for_comment/Support_for_US_copyright_amendment_(edicts)" target="_blank">https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Requests_for_comment/Support_for_US_copyright_amendment_(edicts)</a></div>
<div><br></div><div style>The petition is now a few months old, but the issue may still benefit from our support (if we determine that is proper). In a comment at the end of the RfC, SJ provided an update: </div><div style>
<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex">The petition writers aren't looking for more signatories. But they would appreciate more people blogging and writing about it. Carl Malamud writes: "The hope is to spur this as a topic if/when they amend the copyright law. [Maybe] blog support for the amendment? That would be hugely helpful. And, I think it's important for your work"</blockquote>
<div><br></div><div style>Additionally, I would suggest posting an announcement for these petitions on the advocacy advisory list, to ensure that our discussion gets enough attention. Thanks to everyone who has participated so far.</div>
<div style><br></div><div style>Stephen</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, May 21, 2013 at 8:10 AM, Mathias Schindler <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:mathias.schindler@wikimedia.de" target="_blank">mathias.schindler@wikimedia.de</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">I would love to but lack confidence to properly implement the<br>
templates and find the correct wording. If there is anyone who could<br>
help me out...<br>
<br>
Mathias<br>
<br>
2013/5/17 Luis Villa <<a href="mailto:lvilla@wikimedia.org">lvilla@wikimedia.org</a>>:<br>
<div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5">> And it is still open for signatures. Anyone want to do a quick RFC?<br>
><br>
><br>
> On Thu, May 16, 2013 at 10:41 PM, Luis Villa <<a href="mailto:lvilla@wikimedia.org">lvilla@wikimedia.org</a>> wrote:<br>
>><br>
>> I'm looking into whether or not this particular petition is still open for<br>
>> signatures; if not, I'll at least get us in the loop so that whenever the<br>
>> organizers take next steps we are alerted and can be involved.<br>
>><br>
>> Luis<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> On Thu, May 16, 2013 at 2:03 PM, Geoff Brigham <<a href="mailto:gbrigham@wikimedia.org">gbrigham@wikimedia.org</a>><br>
>> wrote:<br>
>>><br>
>>> I agree. Our policy for making such a decision may be found here<br>
>>> (summarized below).<br>
>>><br>
>>> I don't anticipate any issue for staff approval.<br>
>>><br>
>>> Does anybody on this list object?<br>
>>><br>
>>> If not, can someone start a quick RfC?<br>
>>><br>
>>> Collaborative Advocacy<br>
>>><br>
>>> We collaborate with another organization to take action on a particular<br>
>>> policy or political question.<br>
>>><br>
>>> Example: Signing a petition started by the Electronic Frontier Foundation<br>
>>> against Internet censorship.<br>
>>><br>
>>> Review and Approval<br>
>>><br>
>>> Staff: General Counsel (approval), CFA (approval), Head of Communications<br>
>>> (consultation), and Executive Director (approval)<br>
>>> Community: Advocacy Advisory Group (consultation), RfC (consultation if<br>
>>> time permits), and General notice<br>
>>> Board: Possible consultation<br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>> On Thu, May 16, 2013 at 1:23 PM, Mathias Schindler<br>
>>> <<a href="mailto:mathias.schindler@wikimedia.de">mathias.schindler@wikimedia.de</a>> wrote:<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> FYI. (it is my opinion that WMF should support any effort promoting<br>
>>>> such an amendment to the copyright act)<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> <a href="https://law.resource.org/pub/edicts.html" target="_blank">https://law.resource.org/pub/edicts.html</a><br>
>>>><br>
>>>> TEXT OF THE PETITION<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> To promote access to justice, equal protection, innovation in the<br>
>>>> legal marketplace, and to codify long-standing public policy, the<br>
>>>> Copyright Act of the United States, 17 U.S.C., should be amended as<br>
>>>> follows:<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> “Edicts of government, such as judicial opinions, administrative<br>
>>>> rulings, legislative enactments, public ordinances, and similar<br>
>>>> official legal documents are not copyrightable for reasons of public<br>
>>>> policy. This applies to such works whether they are Federal, State, or<br>
>>>> local as well as to those of foreign governments.”<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> This language comes directly from Section 206.01, Compendium of Office<br>
>>>> Practices II, U.S. Copyright Office (1984). It reflects clear and<br>
>>>> established Supreme Court precedent on the matter in cases such as<br>
>>>> Wheaton v. Peters, 33 U.S. (8 Pet.) 591 (1834) and Banks v.<br>
>>>> Manchester, 128 U.S. 244 (1888). The law belongs to the people, who<br>
>>>> should be free to read, know, and speak the laws by which they choose<br>
>>>> to govern themselves.<br>
>>>><br>
>>>><br>
>>>><br>
>>>> --<br>
>>>> Mathias Schindler<br>
>>>> Projektmanager<br>
>>>> Wikimedia Deutschland e.V.<br>
>>>> web: <a href="http://www.wikimedia.de" target="_blank">http://www.wikimedia.de</a><br>
>>>> mail: <a href="mailto:mathias.schindler@wikimedia.de">mathias.schindler@wikimedia.de</a><br>
>>>><br>
>>>> Ceterum censeo opera officiales esse liberandam -<br>
>>>> <a href="http://urheberrecht.wikimedia.de/" target="_blank">http://urheberrecht.wikimedia.de/</a><br>
>>>><br>
>>>> Wikimedia Deutschland - Gesellschaft zur Förderung Freien Wissens e.<br>
>>>> V. Eingetragen im Vereinsregister des Amtsgerichts<br>
>>>> Berlin-Charlottenburg unter der Nummer 23855 B. Als gemeinnützig<br>
>>>> anerkannt durch das Finanzamt für Körperschaften I Berlin,<br>
>>>> Steuernummer <a href="tel:27%2F681%2F51985" value="+12768151985">27/681/51985</a>.<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> _______________________________________________<br>
>>>> Advocacy_Advisors mailing list<br>
>>>> <a href="mailto:Advocacy_Advisors@lists.wikimedia.org">Advocacy_Advisors@lists.wikimedia.org</a><br>
>>>> <a href="https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/advocacy_advisors" target="_blank">https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/advocacy_advisors</a><br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>> --<br>
>>> Geoff Brigham<br>
>>> General Counsel<br>
>>> Wikimedia Foundation<br>
>>> 149 New Montgomery Street<br>
>>> San Francisco, CA 94105<br>
>>> <a href="tel:%2B1%20%28415%29%20839-6885%20ext.%206750" value="+14158396885">+1 (415) 839-6885 ext. 6750</a><br>
>>> <a href="mailto:gbrigham@wikimedia.org">gbrigham@wikimedia.org</a><br>
>>><br>
>>> California Registered In-House Counsel<br>
>>><br>
>>> This message might have confidential or legally privileged information in<br>
>>> it. If you have received this message by accident, please delete it and let<br>
>>> us know about the mistake. For legal reasons, I may only serve as an<br>
>>> attorney for the Wikimedia Foundation. This means I may not give legal<br>
>>> advice to or serve as a lawyer for community members, volunteers, or staff<br>
>>> members in their personal capacity.<br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>> _______________________________________________<br>
>>> Advocacy_Advisors mailing list<br>
>>> <a href="mailto:Advocacy_Advisors@lists.wikimedia.org">Advocacy_Advisors@lists.wikimedia.org</a><br>
>>> <a href="https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/advocacy_advisors" target="_blank">https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/advocacy_advisors</a><br>
>>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> --<br>
>> Luis Villa<br>
>> Deputy General Counsel<br>
>> Wikimedia Foundation<br>
>> <a href="tel:415.839.6885%20ext.%206810" value="+14158396885">415.839.6885 ext. 6810</a><br>
>><br>
>> NOTICE: This message may be confidential or legally privileged. If you<br>
>> have received it by accident, please delete it and let us know about the<br>
>> mistake. As an attorney for the Wikimedia Foundation, for legal/ethical<br>
>> reasons I cannot give legal advice to, or serve as a lawyer for, community<br>
>> members, volunteers, or staff members in their personal capacity.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> --<br>
> Luis Villa<br>
> Deputy General Counsel<br>
> Wikimedia Foundation<br>
> <a href="tel:415.839.6885%20ext.%206810" value="+14158396885">415.839.6885 ext. 6810</a><br>
><br>
> NOTICE: This message may be confidential or legally privileged. If you have<br>
> received it by accident, please delete it and let us know about the mistake.<br>
> As an attorney for the Wikimedia Foundation, for legal/ethical reasons I<br>
> cannot give legal advice to, or serve as a lawyer for, community members,<br>
> volunteers, or staff members in their personal capacity.<br>
><br>
> _______________________________________________<br>
> Advocacy_Advisors mailing list<br>
> <a href="mailto:Advocacy_Advisors@lists.wikimedia.org">Advocacy_Advisors@lists.wikimedia.org</a><br>
> <a href="https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/advocacy_advisors" target="_blank">https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/advocacy_advisors</a><br>
><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
--<br>
Mathias Schindler<br>
Projektmanager<br>
Wikimedia Deutschland e.V.<br>
web: <a href="http://www.wikimedia.de" target="_blank">http://www.wikimedia.de</a><br>
mail: <a href="mailto:mathias.schindler@wikimedia.de">mathias.schindler@wikimedia.de</a><br>
<br>
Ceterum censeo opera officiales esse liberandam -<br>
<a href="http://urheberrecht.wikimedia.de/" target="_blank">http://urheberrecht.wikimedia.de/</a><br>
<br>
Wikimedia Deutschland - Gesellschaft zur Förderung Freien Wissens e.<br>
V. Eingetragen im Vereinsregister des Amtsgerichts<br>
Berlin-Charlottenburg unter der Nummer 23855 B. Als gemeinnützig<br>
anerkannt durch das Finanzamt für Körperschaften I Berlin,<br>
Steuernummer <a href="tel:27%2F681%2F51985" value="+12768151985">27/681/51985</a>.<br>
<br>
_______________________________________________<br>
Advocacy_Advisors mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:Advocacy_Advisors@lists.wikimedia.org">Advocacy_Advisors@lists.wikimedia.org</a><br>
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</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="background-image:initial;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><div><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><span style="background-image:initial">Stephen LaPorte</span></span></div>
Legal Counsel</span></span><div><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><font face="arial, sans-serif">Wikimedia Foundation</font></div><div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<font face="arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="arial, sans-serif"><i>For legal reasons, I may only serve as an attorney for the Wikimedia Foundation. This means I may not give legal advice to or serve as a lawyer for community members, volunteers, or staff members in their personal capacity.</i></font></div>
</span></div>
</div></div>