This morning, I did a survey of 100 image uploads. The sample size
with relation to
the overall quantity of image uploads per month is not statistically
significant, but
it is terrifying nonetheless. With that grain of salt in mind;
I found that 44% of images uploaded were tagged as being under a non-free
license.
Let that sink in for a bit. 44%
That's nearly HALF our image uploads.
Reviewing five days worth of uploads, we are (at least this month)
going to upload
about 76 thousand images. Fully 33 thousand of them are or will be tagged as
non-free content.
Let THAT sink in for a bit. 33 thousand per month. Over a year, assuming
growth, we're looking at a whopping half million images uploaded over the
next year under a non-free license.
We need a culture change. We need it now.
The English Wikipedia is no longer a free content encyclopedia and is
not working towards our mission of providing neutral educational content
under a free content license.
Either we need to drop the charade that we are a free content encyclopedia,
or we need to harshly restrict image uploads until better tools are in place
to handle the overwhelming deluge of non-free content we are being hit
with on a daily basis, and the overwhelming mass of non-free images
we are currently suffering under is reviewed.
If the people are on this mailing list are unable to make decisions on
this, who should I take this matter to? I'm of the understanding that Jimbo
wanted this list to be the main source of business work, so to speak.
Yet, the support I've seen regarding fair use issues brought up in an
earlier thread is weak at best. Is there another place I should be taking this?
-Durin