Hi all,
The message below I sent to the Wikimedia chapters.
As WMF considered SOPA as a big issue for Wikipedia/Wikimedia, this can
have a huge impact on Wikipedia, Commons and other wikis and I think it
would be good if WMF can take a stand in this matter and would help the
European chapters with this issue.
Certainly some help with the *E-mail / Tweet your Member of the European
Parliament* (like with SOPA) would help!
Greetings,
Romaine
Hi all,
This concerns all the chapters in the European Union and chapters in other
European countries as well (copying is possible).
*Subject*
Copyrights reform in Europe going in the wrong direction, damaging
Wikipedia.
*What is going on?*
In the European Parliament currently a proposal (amendment) is submitted
that will restrict Freedom of Panorama in Europe.
This means: you are no longer allowed to upload images from modern
buildings and works of public art on Commons and not allowed to use those
images on Wikipedia.
Also if Freedom of Panorama is only allowed for Non Commercial purposes
only, this is a problem for Wikipedia!
*Some details*?
It concerns the amendment AM421 proposed by Cavada and passed in the JURI
committee.
*When is the voting about the amendment?*
Thursday 9th July
But we have one chance only!
*What can we do about this?*
- Forward this e-mail to anyone who should know about this.
- Talk to the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in your country.
Especially the members of the EPP, S&D and ALDE groups. ->
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_members_of_the_European_Parliament,_2…
- Communicate this issue to the members of your association, to your
Wikipedia communities, and to the readers of Wikipedia. The public needs to
know!
- Translate: There will come a page on Meta about this, which needs
translation. This page with info will contain basic information and can be
linked to. This page can be copied to the local Wikipedias. This was done
as well for the SOPA situation in 2012 which also attacked Wikipedia,
example:
https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:SOPA
- Publicise a press release about this, write about it on your
website/blog, talk to the media how this can damage Wikipedia, etc.
- Use social media: Twitter, Facebook, and so on...
- Twitter about it and retweet them. Suggestions:
https://twitter.com/Wikimedia_BE/status/611000943908384768 -
https://twitter.com/Wikimedia_BE/status/610984311853064193 -
https://twitter.com/dimi_z/status/610792189631811584
- Twitter also directly to the Members of the European Parliament
directly and ask them if they want to turn Wikipedia into black.
Also we should think about a CentralNotice / Sitenotice to inform our
readers.
*Where is the coordination?*
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Freedom_of_Panorama_2015
To have an overview it would be handy if you sign up for your country/area.
Collect here also your actions like press releases, tweets, Facebook posts,
etc. Those can be useful to read and to see where some action is missing or
needed.
*You need more information?*
Read the upcoming Signpost article:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2015-06-17/Three…
*Also*
The Dutch chapter (WMNL) has formed a project group (including me) who is
working hard on getting more attention for this subject. Both towards MEPs,
the local community and towards the readers of Wikipedia. A campaign is
coming up today or in the following days.
In Brussels Dimitar and Karl are monitoring the situation in the European
Parliament. Thanks to them this issue comes to our attention.
Does your MEP like to meet someone in Brussels? Dimitar and Karl are in
Brussels and I can come there as well.
*Other suggestions?*
Let us know!
Thanks!
Romaine
----
board member of Wikimedia Belgium
volunteer for Wikimedia Nederland