On Fri, Feb 10, 2012 at 5:39 AM, Theo10011 <de10011(a)gmail.com> wrote:
However, the issue of advocacy is not generally agreed upon by the entire
community. SOPA blackout was the first and official action of its kind,
before we consider an advocacy department, do we have consensus that it is
something we should seek actively? The strategic plan and individual board
members covered this issue in passing several times, but as far as I know,
there is no official community-ratified outline or policy to warrant an
active involvement at this stage.
Issues like SOPA are rare, they come up once in a while. It was the only
one of its kind that required such strong action in the last few years I
can remember. I'm not sure if an advocacy department already, is a good
thing. Especially, if actions like the Italian Wikipedia blackout prove
that local communities are quiet capable of doing this on their own,
without the involvement or even the knowledge of WMF.
The issue with SOPA blackout was different, the communication from WMF was
constantly that it is the community's decision, and the foundation will
support what the community decides. There was a quick vote and not long
after, a blackout. Then the impression seems to have shifted that it was
WMF who took that decision, and everyone agreed.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, Advocacy is a sensitive area. I really
think if we venture too far into this territory, we
might loose our
neutrality. Encyclopedias, historically have little to do with politics and
political advocacy, the only exception that can be agreed upon is, related
to things that affect the existence and pursuit of the mission. Those are
quiet rare to warrant an entire department already.
I think you are confusing "rare" with "first". This was merely the
OPENing salvo of a long and protracted battle to protect wikimedia and
the internets and particularly and espescially up and coming internet
entrepeneurs from draconian internet/IP legislation and international
treaties. This will now, once started, last years if not decades, and
we have to stand fast. It isn't our neutrality that is at stake, it is
our very existence, and our ability to stay neutral under pressure
from governments.
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Jussi-Ville Heiskanen, ~ [[User:Cimon Avaro]]