Date: Tue, 4 Oct 2011 13:58:51 -0700 From: Sue Gardner sgardner@wikimedia.org Subject: Re: [Foundation-l] Blackout at Italian Wikipedia To: Wikimedia Foundation Mailing List foundation-l@lists.wikimedia.org Message-ID: <CAGZ0=LN0xLr-0A0AJOCu-7eX1bKQfYnVV5xETQY5uY9LqduoSw@mail.gmail.com

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The Wikimedia Foundation first heard about this a few hours ago: we don't have a lot of details yet. Jay is gathering information and working on a statement now.

It seems obvious though that the proposed law would hurt freedom of expression in Italy, and therefore it's entirely reasonable for the Italian Wikipedians to oppose it. The Wikimedia Foundation will support their position.

The question of whether blocking access to Wikipedia is the best possible way to draw people's attention to this issue is of course open for debate and reasonable people can disagree. My understanding is that the decision was taken via a good community process. Regardless, what's done is done, for the moment.

Thanks, Sue

Of late I've often round reasons to be critical of the choices the WMF has made, but in this case you've made the best choice possible - supporting the community on it.wikipedia in a decision that they've come to as a group, even though that decision is controversial in some places. Bravo Sue, and Bravo WMF.

Cheers, Craig