The WMF isn't allowed to lobby for or against legislation, per our 501c3 non-profit status in the US. This is not necessarily true for chapters though, and definitely not true for the communities.
Ryan Kaldari
On 10/4/11 4:33 PM, Thomas Goldammer wrote:
2011/10/5 John Vandenbergjayvdb@gmail.com:
The WMF is very unlikely to approve of this, as that would be influencing legislation.
Why should the WMF not (at least try to) influence legislation if that helps the goal of distributing free knowledge? I think it should do exactly that, whenever possible and suitable, as for instance in this case. And it is done by chapters already. Wikimedia Serbia has made a good example in this Italian law case on how that can be done (thx to Milos), namely for example by writing WM-official protest or support notes to politicians, embassadors, etc. Another such thing was what WM Germany did in the past for state or federal elections, when they interviewed the candidating parties about certain questions relevant for the free knowledge movement and publishing these interviews, which is a much more indirect way to influence legislation, but still.
BR Th.
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