Wikimedia-l January 2025

wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org

46 participants
35 discussions

February 2024 Update
by Maryana Iskander 01 Oct '25

01 Oct '25

This message will be translated into other languages on Meta-wiki <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Foundation_Chi…> ‎العربية • español • français • português • Deutsch• 中文 <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Foundation_Chi…> You can help with more languages <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Foundation_Chi…> Hi everyone, Since joining the Foundation I have tried to regularly write to you <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Foundation_Chi…> here and elsewhere, and I wanted to share a few updates since my last letter. In October 2023 <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Foundation_Com…>, I reflected that we were in a period of compounded challenges across the world with escalating wars, conflict, and climate reminding us each week that global volatility and uncertainty was on the rise. That feels even more true now. My instinct then was to ask us to make more time to talk to each other and to try and pull closer together. This feels even more needed now. I noted that the return of in-person gatherings has been essential for a subset of our volunteers, providing spaces for reconnecting, recharging and working through difficult issues together in the same room. Foundation leadership has also been working harder to share organizational news and have individualized conversations on-wiki and in other digital forums. Our goal has been to put more effort and intentionality into communicating the right information, at the right time, and in the right way, even knowing that we can never meet everyone's expectations. Most importantly, we had to keep talking to each other – formally and informally – throughout the year. This was the basis of an open invitation to Talking: 2024 <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Foundation_Com…>, an effort designed to listen intently to what is on your minds now, to share progress at the Foundation, and to also reflect on the needs for multi-year strategic plans. (A reminder that our priorities for long-range planning <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Community_Affairs_Comm…...>, informed by movement strategy, are Wikimedia’s financial model, product/technology needs, and roles/responsibilities.) So far, Wikimedia Foundation Trustees, executives, and staff have hosted 130 conversations <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Community_Affairs_Comm…> on-wiki, with individuals, and in small groups. These conversations have stretched across all regions of the world. We have learned from prolific community members to recent newcomers, from technical volunteers to stewards, event organizers, and affiliate leaders. Since these discussions were intended to improve deliberations at the Board’s strategic planning retreat next week, here is a summary of some of the feedback I've heard so far! Continue focusing the Foundation on supporting product/technology needs. As early as my first letter to you in January 2022, <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Foundation_Chi…> I understood that the central role of the Wikimedia Foundation is in enabling our projects, which is core to every aspect of our movement's mission. This was reinforced in most of the Talking:2024 conversations that we hosted over the last five months – from the need for the Foundation to remain focused on upgrading technical infrastructure to supporting volunteer needs for tool maintenance and metrics. Our annual planning continues to center the Foundation’s product and technology priorities. More deliberate conversations are taking place at the Foundation about what a multi-generational view of Wikimedia projects requires of us all. For me, this remains perhaps the most critical topic for our strategic efforts as we make tangible and practical a mission <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Mission> that calls for our work to continue in perpetuity. Recent discussions on this mailing list remind me that we can’t get to everything fast enough, but we continue to move more in the right direction. Chief Product & Technology Officer Selena Deckelmann recently shared <https://diff.wikimedia.org/2024/02/20/thinking-about-annual-planning-in-the…> that: “In the last couple of months, we shipped changes that enabled a better backbone for PageTriage <https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:PageTriage>, and worked closely with volunteer developers to ensure future sustainability. Going forward, we have a number of initiatives ranging from projects like Edit Check <https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Edit_check>, Discussion Tools <https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:DiscussionTools>, Dark mode <https://diff.wikimedia.org/2023/11/24/dark-mode-is-coming/>, Patrolling on Android <https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Apps/Team/Android>, Watchlist on iOS <https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Apps/Team/iOS>, Automoderator <https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Moderator_Tools/Automoderator>, Community Configuration <https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Growth/Community_configuration>, the Wikimedia Commons Upload Wizard <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Upload_Wizard>, and others. We've resolved over 600 volunteer-reported issues in Phabricator in the last 6 months, and we're using research methods that solicit prototypes directly from volunteers <https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Reading/Web/Accessibility_for_reading/Commun…> for informing typography decision making. And we're learning not just the basics of font size and spacing, we're also getting important information about context, devices and cultural aspects of the use of Wikipedia which are vital for helping make our software easier to use as how people use and access it changes (and it has changed a lot over 20 years!).” She has also already published draft objectives for the product and tech teams, and your input and on-wiki comments are always welcome <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Foundation_Ann…> . ‘Human-led, tech-enabled’ means that the humans still lead. While tech featured prominently in most of these conversations, there remains no doubt that Wikimedia is a human-led movement (“It’s all about people.”). This led to exploring even more solutions that can address a familiar dilemma about how to balance the needs of existing editors with initiatives to welcome newcomers (“It’s always the war between ‘we need to protect the existing content’ and ‘do we care about new users with a tolerance for errors.’”). While some shared wonderful stories of their own journeys (“I wanna say that the Newcomer tools have been a really great project and very glad to see that energy was expensed there”), there was vocal urgency about the sustainability of the projects for generations to come (“We are sending away people who could be helpful to the projects”). In this regard, several discussions highlighted the value of the Universal Code of Conduct <https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Policy:Universal_Code_of_Conduct> as a “game changer” in signaling to all communities that they are actively invited and welcomed to safely contribute to the mission of free knowledge, while still acknowledging there is more to do (“It’s probably a good thing, but I don’t know if it will solve what I have faced.”). I learned in my initial listening tour that we have to make all contributions count <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Chief_Executive_Office…>, and all contributors feel welcomed. I found that the Talking:2024 conversations deepened my own understanding of the peer support and mentorship needed for volunteers to thrive as active community members. (One example are these reflections <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Clovermoss/Editor_reflections> where 140 other editors participated). Finally, our human-led values came up in several conversations about Wikimedia’s role in shaping the next generation of artificial intelligence, a topic of ongoing discussion in the world <https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/18/magazine/wikipedia-ai-chatgpt.html?unloc…>, in our communities <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Future_Audiences>, and at the Foundation. This is complemented by ongoing discussions about the role of AI-generated content on our platform by various project communities. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:Large_language_model_policy)> A recent effort to contribute to a shared research agenda on AI <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Artificial_intelligence/…>can be found here – including the need for more research to understand human motivation to contribute to the knowledge commons – it was created by a small group working in the open who rushed to publish a ‘bad first draft’ that will benefit from more input. <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Talk:Artificial_intellig…> Can our financial model provide more certainty, and also force difficult trade-offs? In my last letter, <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Foundation_Com…> I shared that future projections indicate that, for a range of reasons, fundraising online and through banners may not continue to grow at the same rate as in past years. We have several long-term initiatives underway to help mitigate this risk and also diversify our revenue streams, including the Wikimedia Endowment <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Endowment> and Wikimedia Enterprise <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Enterprise>. Over the past two years, we have slowed the rate of growth <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Foundation_Ann…> for the Foundation itself, while increasing financial resources <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Foundation_Ann…> that support other movement entities. The Talking:2024 conversations provided a space for movement entities to share a need for multi-year financial certainty in their support from the Foundation, which we will take into our planning for next year. Other conversations highlighted the need to continue prioritizing limited resources and being more explicit about trade-offs (“[We must] use the money we have as wisely as we can”). These discussions have already improved the thinking for the Foundation’s current and upcoming planning cycles. <https://diff.wikimedia.org/2024/01/31/progress-on-the-plan-how-the-wikimedi…> Movement roles need more clarity. The task of defining a Movement Charter <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Movement_Charter> came up in several conversations with contributors of all kinds. These ranged from reflections about movement strategy recommendations and principles (“Will it always be first come, first served in this movement?”) to questions about the purpose of different structures (“What decisions do we need the global council to make? Why are decisions moving from one center to another?” “We are taking a hammer to solve this issue when they are simple screws.”). Unsurprisingly, there were varying perspectives (“The editing community in many regions doesn’t see an immediate benefit in affiliates, hubs, or other governance structures.” “The community still feels unheard by the Foundation.” “The good work that affiliates do in certain regions is commendable, especially where those affiliates are deeply engaged with the community.”) And a deep recognition of the complex task at hand (“The community is so huge and it’s hard to tie everyone together.” “How do we make change in the movement in a way that is understandable and doesn’t scare people.” “There has to be control and risk management with empowering the community, inviting everyone, and trying to grow while protecting what we have meticulously built over the past 23 years.”). Considering the investment of time and resources going into the charter, we need to make sure that this effort will provide us all with clearer strategic direction on what is needed to serve the future needs of our movement, and meet the expectations of a rapidly changing world around us. The Wikimedia Foundation recently shared these questions <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Movement_Charter#Wikimedia_Foundation_…> with the Movement Charter Drafting Committee to identify areas of key focus and concern. We will continue to review and comment on new drafts as they are produced in the weeks and months ahead. The Board of Trustees will dedicate time at its next Open Conversation with Trustees on March 21 <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Community_Affairs_Comm…> to talk more about this process and the Foundation’s hopes for a Movement Charter. +++ Talking: 2024 kicked off a useful check-in to hear how we are collectively doing, and it continues. Your voice and contributions would help add to the feedback we have already received—whether that is on-wiki, in 1:1 conversations, in small groups, in person. What we learn will continue to inform the Foundation's long-term planning. Please consider joining a conversation <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Foundation_Com…'s_talk> . For me, each conversation has been a reminder that what drives this movement is the people. We remain at a pivotal moment, where the world needs Wikipedia and the Wikimedia projects more than ever. As one of you shared, “I feel like there is a way because we have made a way, an experience of community that connects people across the world.” As always, I welcome your feedback either on my talk page <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/User_talk:MIskander-WMF> or emailing me directly at miskander(a)wikimedia.org. Maryana Maryana Iskander, Wikimedia Foundation CEO

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2025 Wikimedia Hackathon - registration is now open
by Deb Tankersley 02 Apr '25

02 Apr '25

*Registration for the 2025 Wikimedia Hackathon is now open! * *(with apologies for cross-posting)* The annual Wikimedia Hackathon <https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Hackathon_2025> is organized by the Wikimedia Foundation <https://wikimediafoundation.org/> in collaboration with Wikimedia User Group Turkey (WMTR) <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Community_User_Group_Turkey> and will be taking place in Istanbul, Turkey, from May 2nd through May 4th, 2025 at the Renaissance Polat Istanbul Hotel <https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/istrn-renaissance-polat-istanbul-hote…> . The Hackathon is an on-site, in-person event. Those people who cannot attend the Hackathon in-person will be able to follow some of the program content online, but should not register using the link provided below. More information will be provided closer to the event on how to participate remotely. Registration will be open until mid April 2025, or until we reach event capacity. The Hackathon event is free for all* to attend *and each person that attends the Hackathon is required to register. - Catering (lunch, dinner, snacks, and drinks) will be provided during the event. - Covid-related equipment will also be available upon request (e.g. self test kits and masks). - We’ll have discounted room codes for those that want to stay at the hotel venue, to be announced in the coming weeks. - Check if your passport is up to date and if you will need a visa (or an e-visa) to travel to Turkey, citizens of most countries can apply for an e-visa online <https://www.mfa.gov.tr/visa-information-for-foreigners.en.mfa>. Participants are expected to book their own travel arrangements and accommodation. However, the Wikimedia Foundation is offering to take care of travel and accommodation for a limited number of scholars and you will be able to apply for a scholarship during the registration process. Scholarship applicants - please note: - *Scholarship application and Wikimedia Foundation staff sponsorship will only be available to request until December 10th, 2024. * - Priority will be given to scholars who can mentor or support in areas of high demand and staff with ambitious or impactful projects. - Those that have requested a scholarship or sponsorship will be notified by mid to late December 2024 about the status of their application. - All scholarships provided will adhere to the WMF travel policy <https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Policy:Scholarship_travel_policy> guidelines. *Scholarship to this event will cover:* - Roundtrip airfare between your city of residence and Istanbul, Turkey - arriving on May 1, 2025 and departing on May 5, 2025. - Private accommodation at the conference hotel for up to 4 nights - Medical Insurance Coverage for any scholars traveling outside of their home country. (Scholars local to Turkey will need to use their regular insurance coverage.). - Airport transfers between the Istanbul Airport (IST) and the conference hotel. - All meals will be provided for the duration of the event (lunch, drinks, snacks, and dinner will be provided on event days; breakfast will be provided by the hotel for guests staying there). In addition, dinner will be provided on Thursday before the Hackathon officially kicks off. - Fees associated with obtaining a visa to travel to Turkey (visa application fees, and travel to in-person travel visa appointment (if needed)). - Citizens of most countries can apply for an e-visa online <https://www.mfa.gov.tr/visa-information-for-foreigners.en.mfa>. *Scholarship to this event will not cover:* - Per diem costs on travel days. - Ground transportation costs between your residence and home airport. - Insurance for your personal possessions. The Hackathon registration form runs on Pretix (a free, open-sourced third-party platform that helps organize and manage events) which may subject your data to additional terms <https://pretix.eu/about/en/privacy>. For more information on WMF’s privacy and data-handling for the Hackathon, please read the privacy statement <https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Legal:Wikimedia_Hackathon_Privacy_Sta…> . <https://pretix.eu/wikimedia/hackathon2025> If you encounter any issues while registering, or have questions about the registration process, feel free to contact the coordination team at hackathon(a)wikimedia.org. Cheers, Deb -- deb tankersley (she/her) developer outreach program management Wikimedia Foundation

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Updates on resource distribution proposal and creation of interim Global Resource Distribution Committee
by Jorge Vargas 27 Feb '25

27 Feb '25

Hello everyone, I'm Jorge Vargas, Director of Community Resources and Partnerships. I will be sharing an update on the Wikimedia Foundation's July 2024 proposal to create an experimental Global Resource Distribution Committee (GRDC) and to update the resource distribution models of the movement. This new version of the proposal comes after months of conversations with different stakeholders in the movement. The Wikimedia Foundation will create the interim Global Resource Distribution Committee <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Global_Resource_Distribu…> (GRDC) in March, as a 2-year experiment, in another step to decentralize the distribution of funds across the Wikimedia Movement. This body will be responsible for making decisions over the Community Fund <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Grants:Start#Wikimedia_C…> and the structures and processes to distribute it. It will also oversee the Regional Fund Committees <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Grants:Committees> (RFCs). The interim GRDC will advise the Foundation on how to allocate grants across regional, and if determined, thematic allocations. It will also provide recommendations and insights to the Foundation on how much of its budget should be made available for grants distribution. The final decision on the total budget allocation for grants to later be allocated in different portfolios will remain with WMF, with the interim GRDC advising and working jointly with the Foundation throughout all the steps of the process. We will recruit the initial 13 members of the committee through self-nominations and invitations made in collaboration with the RFCs and affiliates. Last July, the Board of Trustees proposed <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Foundation_Boa…> an experimental resource distribution committee as part of their resolution and vote on the Movement Charter <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_noticeboard…> . We have gathered community and affiliate feedback through several conversations at Wikimania, regional events, consultations with affiliates, Regional Fund Committees, and online. These are the main changes based on this feedback: - Form the interim GRDC in March with a diverse group of specialized volunteers and staff. The initial proposal was to start in January and only with former RFC members. - Empower the interim GRDC to evolve the Regional Fund Committees after its creation. The initial proposal was to create the GRDC and evolve the RFCs at the same time and on a tighter schedule. For more detailed information, please check the updated proposal <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Global_Resource_Distribu…> (Diff version <https://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Global_Resource_Distribution_C…>) and the reasoning <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Global_Resource_Distribu…> behind the changes. We continue to welcome feedback to improve the plan and polish details, and we will finish the plan to create the new committee <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Global_Resource_Distribu…> in the next few weeks. We want to start the call for self-nominations at the beginning of February. If you or someone you know might be a good fit, we encourage you to stay tuned and get involved. Let us know if you have any comments or questions here or in the respective Meta talk pages. Kind regards, Jorge -- *Jorge Vargas* (he/him) Director of Community Resources and Partnerships Wikimedia Foundation <https://wikimediafoundation.org/> M: (+1) 415.404.9536 I work from San Francisco, USA. My time zone is PST: UTC/GMT -8.

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We need more interactive content: we are doing it wrong
by Galder Gonzalez Larrañaga 01 Feb '25

01 Feb '25

Dear wikimedians, Nearly one year ago, the Graphs extension was disabled from all wikis, because there was a security issue that should be solved (https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T334940). A wide team from the WMF worked on a solution for some weeks, but after Northern Hemisphere spring ended, summer came, then the monsoon season, and now it is again summer in the Southern Hemisphere... and Graphs are still disabled. All the solutions proposed have been dismissed, but every two months there's a proposal to make a new roadmap to solve the issue. We have plenty of roadmaps, but no vehicle to reach our destination. Seven years ago, we were discussing our Strategy for 2030. We used thousands of volunteer hours, thousands of staff hours and millions of dollars to build a really well-balanced strategy. There we concluded that "By 2030, Wikimedia will become the essential infrastructure of the ecosystem of free knowledge". We also made some recommendations to improve the User Experience (https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Movement_Strategy/Recommendations/Improve_U…) and claimed that we wanted to Innovate in Free Knowledge (https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Movement_Strategy/Recommendations/Innovate_…). Well, the situation is now worse than it was seven years ago, let me give some examples: * Graph extension is used in thousands of pages, some of them highly relevant, as COVID or Climate Change information. There are thousands of graphs broken now, and the only partial solution give is loading these graphs as images, instead of promoting an interactive solution. * Meanwhile, a place like Our World in Data has been publishing data and interactive content with a compatible license for years. (Remember, "By 2030, Wikimedia will become the essential infrastructure of the ecosystem of free knowledge"). Trying to add this data and graphs to Wikimedia projects has been done by WikiMed, and it is technically possible, but still blocked to deploy (https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T303853). * Wolfram Alpha is like a light year ahead us on giving interactive solutions to knowledge questions, even the silliest ones (https://www.wolframalpha.com/input?i=how+many+oranges+fit+in+the+Earth%3F). We have good technical articles about a lot of things, but sometimes "becoming the essential infrastructure of the ecosystem of free knowledge" needs to provide solutions to exact problems, like the answer to an equation, and how to solve it. That's also "free knowledge". * Brilliant (https://brilliant.org/) is brilliant if you want to learn lots of things, like geometry or programming. Way better than Wikipedia. But... you need to pay for it. How could we even try if we can't add anything interactive to our platforms? * We can build interactive timelines using Wikidata, but we can't embed them at Wikipedia. Weird, because I can do it in any external page. Hopefully, Histropedia will do it better. http://histropedia.com/<http://histropedia.com/> * We could have something very special: inline links in video and audio subtitles. We used to have them, but the new video infrastructure doesn't allow it. Imagine a world where you can watch a video and link a link in the subtitles just to know more about that. * ... The list can go on an on ("which phase the moon is today?"), but I think that the idea is clear. We could have interactive content, but we are going in the opposite direction, and every year we are further from our goal, because other platforms are doing it better, way better. And this seems like some wild ideas, but then I read the 2023-2024 annual plan section called "Wiki Experiences" (https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Annual_Plan/2023-2024/…) and it looks like we should be going there. But we aren't. I'm sorry if this e-mail feels bitter. My experience in the last years is that we are now further of what we need that we were before, even if many chapters and volunteers are trying to overturn it. Thank to everyone who have been trying. Galder

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Recognition of Inari Saami Wikimedians User Group
by Affiliations Committee 31 Jan '25

31 Jan '25

Hi everyone, I'm very happy to announce that the Affiliations Committee has recognized [1] Inari Saami Wikimedians User Group [2] as a Wikimedia User Group. The group aims to promote the Wikimedia projects in Inari Saami and to increase the visibility of Inari Saami in digital linguistic landscapes. Please join me in congratulating the members of this new user group! Regards, Jeffrey Keefer Chair, Affiliations Committee [1] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Affiliations_Committee/Resolutions/2024/Rec… [2] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Inari_Saami_Wikimedians_User_Group

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BA-SRP/Annual report 2024
by WМ RepublikaSrpska 31 Jan '25

31 Jan '25

Dear all, It is my pleasure, in the name of the Wikimedia Community of the Republic of Srpska, to inform you that our Annual report for the year 2024 is completed. You can find it at the following link: * Wikimedia Community of the Republic of Srpska: <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_user_groups/Reports/Wikimedians_o…>Annual Report 2024 <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_user_groups/Reports/Wikimedians_o…> . If you have any questions or suggestions - we are at your disposal. Best regards from Republic of Srpska! Bojana Podgorica Wikimedia Community of Republika Srpska *„**Замислите свијет у коме **свака особа на планети има **слободан приступ цјелокупном људском знању.* *То је * *оно на чему ми радимо.“*

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2024 activity report of Wikimedians for Sustainable Development
by Jan Ainali 31 Jan '25

31 Jan '25

Dear all, I would like to share the 2024 annual activity report for Wikimedians for Sustainable Development: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedians_for_Sustainable_Development/Rep… In addition, we found that the new affiliate health criteria report gave us a lot to reflect upon and believe it will be a good tool for maturing the movement. Here is our published report: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Affiliates_Strategy/Im… Best regards, Jan Ainali

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Re: Wikimedia-l Digest, Vol 1299, Issue 1
by ventolinmono＠yahoo.com.mx 30 Jan '25

30 Jan '25

Projects like this are very much needed if Wikipedia doesn't want to lose its precarious position against social media and new AI based search engines, possibly making it eventually redundant and obsolete. New ways are needed in bringing not only more editors but also more visitors and embedding Wikipedia in social media may be one of them. > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Fredric Gorin <fredricgorin(a)gmail.com> > To: wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org > Cc: > Bcc: > Date: Sat, 18 Jan 2025 23:02:15 -0800 > Subject: [Wikimedia-l] How Wikimedia could assist social media platforms > Social media is a mixed blessing as it pertains to informational content. On the positive side it democratizes access and informational transmission to a much larger number of individuals who can report and discuss information on an individual or tribal level. > > This strength is also the weakness of all social media platforms and frankly threatening US democracy. Without being grounded by some incontrovertible facts, , discussion of opinions morph into “alternative facts”- “the scientific data on smoking causing cancer is still up for debate”, “global warming from carbon dioxide emissions has not been conclusively proven”, “the US lunar landing was faked”. Etc. > > Wikimedia could provide Wkipedia links during a social media discussion upon the request of a participant (example “type Wkimedia’s version of Chatgpt” or “ask Alexa”). > > The Wkipedia subject links would provide access on to peer-edited information about a topic without Wikimedia offering a declaration of “facts”. Wikipedia should preface the links by explaining how the information is provided and curated. ‘Asking about the origins of Covid virus” would expose social media participants to two points of view and educate them that information is continually being refined toward a common objective of veracity and not to provide “alternative truths”. Wikipedia thus serves as a real time educational tool. > > A democracy only functions when its populace is educated to accept some factual underpinnings “ozone layer was being destroyed by fluorohydrocarbons” and corrective measures has permitted majorly recovery of the ozone layer. > > The US political system is entering rocky waters as a semi-democracy (see Economist magazine criteria) and the abilty to call a “WkikChatGPT” by a participant from any platform in the middle of any discussion provides informational grounding that is peer-reviewed and updated. It would desirable when data is refuted (“the January 6 storming of the Capitol was peaceful”) to provide a Wiki moderator (also ChatGPT) query about the facts and assumptions underlying data refutation. > > Let me know if I can be helpful or why is not a useful endeavor. WikipediaChatGPT will be summoned from outside ant social media platform The AI will need to recognize that many questions are rhetorical and to identify them as such. > > Let me know how I can be helpful or why this proposal is flawed > > Thanks > > Fredric Gorin MD PhD

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2024 Activity Report of the Basque Wikimedians User Group
by Mikel Iturbe 30 Jan '25

30 Jan '25

Dear all, I would like to share the 2024 annual report of the Basque Wikimedians User Group with all of you. You can find it in the following link: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Basque_Wikimedians_User_Group/Reports/2024 It also happens to be the first year of our 2024-2027 strategy: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Basque_Wikimedians_User_Group/Strategy/2024… All in all, we consider it has been a fruitful year: collaboration with schools and museums, multimedia production, competitions and much more! Check it out! Cheers,

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Personal news
by Christian Humborg 30 Jan '25

30 Jan '25

Dear Wikimedians, After eight years with Wikimedia Deutschland, I will be leaving the organization at the end of March and starting a new chapter in April as CEO of the Allianz Foundation. This marks the end of a significant journey for me, during which we at WMDE, together with the Wikimedia Movement, were able to achieve so much. I feel confident about the future of WMDE, knowing that Franziska will continue to lead the organization with great vision and dedication. Thank you for allowing me to play a role in the advancement of free knowledge. In these challenging times, I wish us all strength, endurance, and kindness as we continue to work toward our shared mission. Kind regards Christian Executive Director Wikimedia Deutschland

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