On 05/15/2016 08:07 PM, John P. Sadowski wrote:
> That is quite troubling, given that the committee approvals were
> near-unanimous. Is it possible that the bill could be interpreted
> to apply retroactively, meaning we'd have to remove those 1048 items?
I don't see anything retroactive in the text, but I also don't see
anything that would strictly prohibit state agencies and local
governments from treating previous publications as subject to copyright.
I see that User:Gazebo has posted at
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Village_pump/Copyright#Proposed_…
to no discussion yet.
> Any idea when the bill comes up with a vote? Wikimedia DC could
> possibly draft and send a letter giving Wikimedia-specific examples,
> or we could work with the Foundation legal team to do so.
I don't know when it can be expected to come up for a vote. I should
know more about California lawmaking than I do, which is almost nothing.
I've copied wikimedia-sf; maybe some local California government maven
lurks there and could say.
Mike
>> On May 15, 2016, at 9:47 PM, Mike Linksvayer <ml(a)gondwanaland.com> wrote:
>>
>> https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/04/ab-2880 "California's Legislature
>> Wants to Copyright All Government Works"
>>
>> More background at
>> https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20160417/09213934197/california-assembly-…
>>
>> According to http://copyright.lib.harvard.edu/states/ California is one
>> of the three most "open" regarding government works. Presumably it won't
>> be anymore if AB 2880 becomes law.
>>
>> California is one of only two U.S. states with a category under
>> https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Public_domain_by_government
>> -- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:PD_California (1048 items).
>>
>> I haven't investigated whether and how many of those items would be
>> subject to copyright had AB 2880 been California law at the times of
>> their publication.
>>
>> Skimming the bill's changes to present law at
>> https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billCompareClient.xhtml?bill_id=20…
>> it seems the one or two maybe dangerous additions are these:
>>
>>> A public entity may own, license, and, if it deems it appropriate,
>>> formally register intellectual property it creates or otherwise
>>> acquires.
>>
>> The assembly's analysis views this as a clarification, but it could open
>> the door to widespread use (or copyright apologists would say, abuse) of
>> copyright by local government, as the EFF says, "to chill speech, stifle
>> open government, and harm the public domain."
>>
>>> (A) A state agency shall not enter into a contract under this
>>> article that waives the state’s intellectual property rights unless
>>> the state agency, prior to execution of the contract, obtains the
>>> consent of the department to the waiver.
>>>
>>> (B) An attempted waiver of the state’s intellectual property rights
>>> by a state agency that violates subparagraph (A) shall be deemed
>>> void as against public policy.
>>
>> It is not clear to me whether this addition might serve as a barrier to
>> agencies deciding to publish material under open licenses. In the
>> meantime, I assume it will foster such barriers in practice.
>>
>> https://twitter.com/mitchstoltz/status/731282363674562560 says "[EFF]'ll
>> probably issue an action alert, but meantime, call your state assembly
>> member's office & ask them to oppose."
>>
>> If this is indeed a threat, I wonder if there's anything Wikimedians can
>> do to oppose it, in addition to those of us in California calling our
>> state assembly members?
>>
>> Mike
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Publicpolicy mailing list
>> Publicpolicy(a)lists.wikimedia.org
>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/publicpolicy
>
> _______________________________________________
> Publicpolicy mailing list
> Publicpolicy(a)lists.wikimedia.org
> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/publicpolicy
>
Forwarding.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Pine W <wiki.pine(a)gmail.com>
Date: Sat, May 21, 2016 at 1:50 PM
Subject: Re: [Wikimediaus-l] May online meeting of US Wikimedians
To: "Wikimedians Active in Local Regions of the United States (WALRUS)" <
wikimediaus-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org>
Hello US Wikimedians,
Here's a reminder that our public meeting will be on Tuesday.
Kirill <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Kirill_Lokshin> will chair the
meeting this month.
The current version of the agenda is below, with Pacific times shown:
- "One minute updates" from each chapter and user group. (6:00-6:15)
- Wiknic 2016 (6:15-6:20) (Pharos
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Pharos>)
- Main page
- Announcements to mailing lists
- Geonotices and/or site banners
- WikiCon USA/SoCal (in San Diego Oct 7-10, 2016) (6:20-6:28) (DrMel
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:DrMel>)
- Wiki Loves Pride 2016
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki_Loves_Pride_2016> (6:28-6:32) (
Bluerasberry <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Bluerasberry>)
- WikiSalons <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WikiSalon> (6:33-6:36) (
Checkingfax <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Checkingfax>)
- OpenStreetMap SOTM USA conference in Seattle (6:37-6:40) (Peaceray
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Peaceray>)
Please plan your chapter or user group's one minute update in advance of
the meeting so
that everyone has a chance to share and the meeting can proceed in a timely
manner.
Thanks!
Pine
On Fri, May 13, 2016 at 8:06 AM, Kirill Lokshin <
kirill.lokshin(a)wikimediadc.org> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Here is the dial-in information for the meeting:
>
> Topic: United States Wikipedians Online Meetup
> Time: May 24, 2016 9:00 PM (GMT-4:00) Eastern Time (US and Canada)
>
> Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/431598981
>
> Or iPhone one-tap: 16465588656,431598981# or 14086380968,431598981#
>
> Or Telephone:
> Dial: +1 646 558 8656 (US Toll) or +1 408 638 0968 (US Toll)
> Meeting ID: 431 598 981
> International numbers available: https://zoom
> .us/zoomconference?m=ec_F7wkJAYy5sN9_1z-uvJJY84d8IBfK
>
> Thanks,
> Kirill
>
> --
> Kirill Lokshin
> President
> Wikimedia District of Columbia
> kirill.lokshin(a)wikimediadc.org
> https://wikimediadc.org
>
Update below.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Pine W <wiki.pine(a)gmail.com>
Date: Tue, May 10, 2016 at 11:11 PM
Subject: Re: [Wikimediaus-l] May online meeting of US Wikimedians
To: "Wikimedians Active in Local Regions of the United States (WALRUS)" <
wikimediaus-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org>
Hi folks,
The meeting is now set for Tuesday, May 24th at 6 PM Pacific / 9 PM Eastern.
Further details will be published as we approach the date.
Thanks!
Pine
The last Wednesday evening of every month, wiki enthusiasts gather at Bay
Area WikiSalon to collaborate, mingle, and learn about new projects and
ideas.
We allow time for informal conversation and working on articles. Newcomers
and experienced wiki users are encouraged to attend. Free Wi-Fi is
available so bring your editing devices. We will have beverages and light
snacks.
Please note: You must register here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1cjLRrSTlEkGOPTQ-h6A0WvSFI4ZmIUl6jEHp_RYas-
E/viewform and bring a photo ID that matches your registration name. The
building policy is strict on this point.
For further details, see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Bay_Area_WikiSalon,_May_2016
See you then! Co-organizers: {{u|Peteforsyth}}, {{u|Ben Creasy}}, and
{{u|Checkingfax}}
Hi,
I've been working with colleagues at the San Francisco public library on a Pride editathon. June 11, 1-5 at the main branch. I've done my usual lame job of creating the meetup page, but for now put this on your calendars and please plan to come and help support! The library staff are super excited about library resources being used to improve Wikipedia and giving you all the low down on their collections. They also forward to developing a partnership with the local Wiki community and hope that this can be the first in a series.
We'll be adding articles that need improvement and creation that relate to SF LGBTQI etc people, places, events and organizations but please add your own!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Meetup/SFPL-LGBT/2016
Thank you!
Merrilee
Forwarding.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Pine W <wiki.pine(a)gmail.com>
Date: Tue, May 3, 2016 at 5:10 PM
Subject: May online meeting of US Wikimedians
To: "Wikimedians Active in Local Regions of the United States (WALRUS)" <
wikimediaus-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org>
Hi folks,
Please participate in this Doodle poll
<http://doodle.com/poll/2nd38gbhp6n4m672> to indicate your availability for
the May meeting of US Wikimedians. (Canadians are welcome to join if they
wish!)
An early version of the agenda is here
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WALRUS/May_2016>. Some of these items will
be discussed in greater detail than others. You can add items to the
agenda, and if you do this then please sign your name by the added item.
The Zoom <http://www.zoom.us> meeting platform got a favorable reception
when we tried it last month, so we'll use it again. We'll aim to keep the
meeting to 40 minutes in length.
Thanks!
Pine