Hello advocacy advisers,
As an update, here is a request for comment on whether we should support the Edicts of Government Amendment petition: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Requests_for_comment/Support_for_US_copyrigh...)
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:
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"
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.
Stephen
On Tue, May 21, 2013 at 8:10 AM, Mathias Schindler < mathias.schindler@wikimedia.de> wrote:
I would love to but lack confidence to properly implement the templates and find the correct wording. If there is anyone who could help me out...
Mathias
2013/5/17 Luis Villa lvilla@wikimedia.org:
And it is still open for signatures. Anyone want to do a quick RFC?
On Thu, May 16, 2013 at 10:41 PM, Luis Villa lvilla@wikimedia.org
wrote:
I'm looking into whether or not this particular petition is still open
for
signatures; if not, I'll at least get us in the loop so that whenever
the
organizers take next steps we are alerted and can be involved.
Luis
On Thu, May 16, 2013 at 2:03 PM, Geoff Brigham gbrigham@wikimedia.org wrote:
I agree. Our policy for making such a decision may be found here (summarized below).
I don't anticipate any issue for staff approval.
Does anybody on this list object?
If not, can someone start a quick RfC?
Collaborative Advocacy
We collaborate with another organization to take action on a particular policy or political question.
Example: Signing a petition started by the Electronic Frontier
Foundation
against Internet censorship.
Review and Approval
Staff: General Counsel (approval), CFA (approval), Head of
Communications
(consultation), and Executive Director (approval) Community: Advocacy Advisory Group (consultation), RfC (consultation if time permits), and General notice Board: Possible consultation
On Thu, May 16, 2013 at 1:23 PM, Mathias Schindler mathias.schindler@wikimedia.de wrote:
FYI. (it is my opinion that WMF should support any effort promoting such an amendment to the copyright act)
https://law.resource.org/pub/edicts.html
TEXT OF THE PETITION
To promote access to justice, equal protection, innovation in the legal marketplace, and to codify long-standing public policy, the Copyright Act of the United States, 17 U.S.C., should be amended as follows:
“Edicts of government, such as judicial opinions, administrative rulings, legislative enactments, public ordinances, and similar official legal documents are not copyrightable for reasons of public policy. This applies to such works whether they are Federal, State, or local as well as to those of foreign governments.”
This language comes directly from Section 206.01, Compendium of Office Practices II, U.S. Copyright Office (1984). It reflects clear and established Supreme Court precedent on the matter in cases such as Wheaton v. Peters, 33 U.S. (8 Pet.) 591 (1834) and Banks v. Manchester, 128 U.S. 244 (1888). The law belongs to the people, who should be free to read, know, and speak the laws by which they choose to govern themselves.
-- Mathias Schindler Projektmanager Wikimedia Deutschland e.V. web: http://www.wikimedia.de mail: mathias.schindler@wikimedia.de
Ceterum censeo opera officiales esse liberandam - http://urheberrecht.wikimedia.de/
Wikimedia Deutschland - Gesellschaft zur Förderung Freien Wissens e. V. Eingetragen im Vereinsregister des Amtsgerichts Berlin-Charlottenburg unter der Nummer 23855 B. Als gemeinnützig anerkannt durch das Finanzamt für Körperschaften I Berlin, Steuernummer 27/681/51985.
Advocacy_Advisors mailing list Advocacy_Advisors@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/advocacy_advisors
-- Geoff Brigham General Counsel Wikimedia Foundation 149 New Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94105 +1 (415) 839-6885 ext. 6750 gbrigham@wikimedia.org
California Registered In-House Counsel
This message might have confidential or legally privileged information
in
it. If you have received this message by accident, please delete it
and let
us know about the mistake. 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.
Advocacy_Advisors mailing list Advocacy_Advisors@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/advocacy_advisors
-- Luis Villa Deputy General Counsel Wikimedia Foundation 415.839.6885 ext. 6810
NOTICE: This message may be confidential or legally privileged. If you have received it by accident, please delete it and let us know about the mistake. As an attorney for the Wikimedia Foundation, for legal/ethical reasons I cannot give legal advice to, or serve as a lawyer for,
community
members, volunteers, or staff members in their personal capacity.
-- Luis Villa Deputy General Counsel Wikimedia Foundation 415.839.6885 ext. 6810
NOTICE: This message may be confidential or legally privileged. If you
have
received it by accident, please delete it and let us know about the
mistake.
As an attorney for the Wikimedia Foundation, for legal/ethical reasons I cannot give legal advice to, or serve as a lawyer for, community members, volunteers, or staff members in their personal capacity.
Advocacy_Advisors mailing list Advocacy_Advisors@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/advocacy_advisors
-- Mathias Schindler Projektmanager Wikimedia Deutschland e.V. web: http://www.wikimedia.de mail: mathias.schindler@wikimedia.de
Ceterum censeo opera officiales esse liberandam - http://urheberrecht.wikimedia.de/
Wikimedia Deutschland - Gesellschaft zur Förderung Freien Wissens e. V. Eingetragen im Vereinsregister des Amtsgerichts Berlin-Charlottenburg unter der Nummer 23855 B. Als gemeinnützig anerkannt durch das Finanzamt für Körperschaften I Berlin, Steuernummer 27/681/51985.
Advocacy_Advisors mailing list Advocacy_Advisors@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/advocacy_advisors