Wikimediauk-l July 2025

wikimediauk-l@lists.wikimedia.org

17 participants
8 discussions

Wikimedia Foundation launches legal challenge in UK
by Franziska Putz 11 Aug '25

11 Aug '25

Dear all, I hope you had a lovely long weekend. I’m Ziski from the Wikimedia Foundation’s Global Advocacy team; I’m based in London and have been fortunate to meet some of you. I am reaching out with an* important update about UK regulatory affairs. * On 8 May, 2025, the Wikimedia Foundation announced a legal challenge against a new element of the UK Online Safety Act, <https://wikimediafoundation.org/news/2023/09/19/wikimedia-foundation-calls-…>which could have detrimental effects for Wikipedia. This is an aspect of the same law that the Foundation has been warning the government about in parliamentary debates and an open letter campaign, which many of you supported. We are bringing a legal challenge because the negative impacts that this law threatens to have on Wikipedia have not been addressed. The challenge targets the Categorisation Regulations, which are currently so broadly written that Wikipedia could be classified as a “Category 1” service. As a Category 1 service, Wikipedia could face duties that would threaten our mission, for example, by disempowering users who wish to keep their identity private. In <https://diff.wikimedia.org/2025/05/08/wikimedia-foundation-brings-legal-cha…>this blog post <https://diff.wikimedia.org/2025/05/08/wikimedia-foundation-brings-legal-cha…> you can learn more about our legal challenge. The Foundation will also be hosting a Zoom call on Tuesday, May 13 @ 18:00 - 19:00 BST to answer any questions you may have. Please register for the call *via this link <https://wikimedia.zoom.us/meeting/register/yG-qXyR0RAStKsDVMmhtIA>.* Best wishes, Ziski Franziska Putz (she/her) Senior Movement Advocacy Manager Global Advocacy, Wikimedia Foundation Fputz(a)wikimedia.org UTC Timezone

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UK meetup at Wikimania
by Harry Mitchell 09 Aug '25

09 Aug '25

Hi all, Who's going to Wikimania this year? Mike has organised a meetup for UK-connected folks on the Saturday lunchtime: https://wikimania.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimania:2025/Meetups/UK_meetup#Atten… Hope to see some of you there! Harry

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Sandbox Sessions: Using Duplicity
by Sara Thomas 04 Aug '25

04 Aug '25

Hi there folks! Delighted to announce that the first of our *Sandbox Sessions* will take place on Saturday 30th August, 5pm UK time (ie, UTC+1) *Using Duplicity: Create Missing Wikidata Items from Wikipedia <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Event:WMUK_Sandbox_Sessions/Using_Duplicity_3…>* will be run by Josef Anthony, a Wikimedia volunteer and contributor with experience in Wikidata, Wikipedia, and technical projects within the Wikimedia movement. Josef recently led the Wikidata project Revitalising UK History <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Revitalizing_UK_History/Project_Report>, supported by a Wikimedia UK volunteer grant. This one hour session will introduce the Wikidata tool Wikidata:Duplicity <https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Duplicity>, which helps identify Wikipedia articles that do not have a Wikidata item, and match them to an existing item or create a new one. The session will be hands-on and beginner-friendly, with time to explore the tool together and make real contributions. It’s ideal for editors who are curious about Wikidata but unsure where to start, or for anyone who wants to improve Wikidata coverage using content that already exists in English Wikipedia. The event will be held on Zoom, and you can sign up using your Wikimedia account here. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Event:WMUK_Sandbox_Sessions/Using_Duplicity_3…> Please do feel free to share this with anyone you feel might be interested! All the best, Sara -- Dr Sara Thomas Programme Manager, Wikimedia UK 07803 505 172 *My pronouns are she/her, and my name is pronounced like this. <https://namedrop.io/sarathomas> * https://wikimedia.org.uk/home/scotland/ <https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Wikimedia_in_Scotland> *I work part time, my usual days are Monday - Thursday.* <https://donate.wikimedia.org.uk/> *Wikimedia UK* <https://wikimedia.org.uk/> is the national chapter for the global Wikimedia open knowledge movement. Follow us on Twitter <https://twitter.com/wikimediauk>, Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/WikimediaUK>, LinkedIn <https://www.linkedin.com/company/496119>, and Instagram <https://www.instagram.com/wikimediauk/>. Wikimedia UK is a Registered Charity No.1144513 (England & Wales) SC048644 (Scotland). Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Scotland, Registered No. 6741827. Registered Office c/o British Library, Room 46018, 96 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DB Wikimedia UK is the UK chapter of a global Wikimedia movement. The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia Foundation (who operate Wikipedia, amongst other projects). *Wikimedia UK is an independent non-profit charity with no legal control over Wikipedia nor responsibility for its contents.*

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Fwd: [Wren] New vacancy at LSE
by Sara Thomas 30 Jul '25

30 Jul '25

Good morning folks, See below, the London School of Economics & Political Science are looking for a Wikimedian in Residence and Research Visibility Champion. Full time, 2 years fixed term, deadline for applications Sunday 17th August. Please do pass this on to anyone you feel might be interested! All the best, Sara Programme Manager Wikimedia UK ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: <hr.jobs(a)lse.ac.uk> Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2025 at 21:34 Subject: [Wren] New vacancy at LSE To: <wren(a)lists.wikimedia.org> Hi, FYI Please click on the following link to view vacancy online. Vacancy Title: Wikimedian in Residence and Research Visibility Champion Link: View the vacancy online <https://eu-west-1.protection.sophos.com?d=lse.ac.uk&u=aHR0cHM6Ly9qb2JzLmxzZ…> Vacancy Location: LSE _______________________________________________ Wren mailing list -- wren(a)lists.wikimedia.org To unsubscribe send an email to wren-leave(a)lists.wikimedia.org -- Dr Sara Thomas Programme Manager, Wikimedia UK 07803 505 172 *My pronouns are she/her, and my name is pronounced like this. <https://namedrop.io/sarathomas> * https://wikimedia.org.uk/home/scotland/ <https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Wikimedia_in_Scotland> *I work part time, my usual days are Monday - Thursday.* <https://donate.wikimedia.org.uk/> *Wikimedia UK* <https://wikimedia.org.uk/> is the national chapter for the global Wikimedia open knowledge movement. Follow us on Twitter <https://twitter.com/wikimediauk>, Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/WikimediaUK>, LinkedIn <https://www.linkedin.com/company/496119>, and Instagram <https://www.instagram.com/wikimediauk/>. Wikimedia UK is a Registered Charity No.1144513 (England & Wales) SC048644 (Scotland). Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Scotland, Registered No. 6741827. Registered Office c/o British Library, Room 46018, 96 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DB Wikimedia UK is the UK chapter of a global Wikimedia movement. The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia Foundation (who operate Wikipedia, amongst other projects). *Wikimedia UK is an independent non-profit charity with no legal control over Wikipedia nor responsibility for its contents.*

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NEXT Wikipedia editing event is this Friday at 1pm at the Main Library - come say hello... and join in!
by Ewan McAndrew 23 Jul '25

23 Jul '25

Dear all, Apologies for any cross-posting but please feel free to share and disseminate this upcoming event to interested staff & students and members of the public in your networks. Our next Wikipedia edit-a-thon is this Friday at the University of Edinburgh's Main Library (in the swish updated 1st floor training rooms overlooking the Meadows) and commencing at 1pm with training at 1.15-2.15pm though you're very welcome to drop in at any point. All welcome! There will be tea, coffee, cakes, and EDITING training & applying that training in practice. * Book here for students& staff via MyEd<https://www.events.ed.ac.uk/index.cfm?event=showEventDetails&scheduleId=771…>. * Book here if external to the University via Eventbrite<https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/imagine-a-gender-equal-world-help-write-wome…>. Join us in-person (ideally) or online if working remotely for a fun, social, supportive & IMPACTFUL afternoon of knowledge activism! Event details: This event will focus on improving the representation of inspiring women online BUT as it was Glasgow PRIDE last weekend we're also happily continuing our PRIDE editing from June into July too! (PRIDE is all year or should be!). Participants will learn how to edit Wikipedia pages during a hybrid event and will be supported over the afternoon to help create new pages for notable individuals who are not currently on Wikipedia and/or help improve already existing pages. All we need is 50-100 words or more to publish new pages to improve understanding & discoverability globally. Some recent crowdsourced page suggestions inc. PRIDE * Recovering Histories worklist<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:University_of_Edinburgh/Recovering_…> * Wiki Loves Pride 2025<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wiki_Loves_Pride/2025> * Women in Red worklist for Pride 2025<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Women_in_Red/Meetup/339> * A recent student-researched walking tour featured some history relating to Pride, where the same-sex marriage campaign controversy involving the University's Student’s Association. Many student’s names were falsely added to a petition against same-sex marriage, which led to EUSA and its president speaking to the press, and this could possibly be added to EUSA’s page. Outside the Pride theme, there are some pages which could be developed more: * John Edmonstone (taxidermist who was formerly enslaved) * Clara Marguerite Christian (Edinburgh’s first black female student) * Suffragette bombing of Royal Observatory (maybe a new page) * the 1,400+ women medical doctors who qualified in Edinburgh between 1877 and 1914 as we look towards 300 years of the Edinburgh Medical School and 70 years of Nursing Studies at Edinburgh also. * Female Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. * BBC 100 Women. No prior knowledge required as training will be provided for those with no Wikipedia editing experience. You'll learn a new digital skill in a social & supportive setting and meet like-minded event participants all passionate about improving representation online to help close the gender gap for the benefit of millions of readers all around the world. * 1:00 pm – 1:15pm: Welcome and Tea/Coffee * 1:15pm – 2:15pm: Wikipedia training from Ewan McAndrew. * 2:15pm - 2:30pm: Tea and Coffee break * 2:30 pm – 4:30pm: Research and Editing with aim to publish by 4:30pm. * 4:30pm – 5:00pm: Publishing your edits, recap and event close. Join us for all, or just part, of the afternoon as we help make Wikipedia better! All welcome and open to all! Best wishes, Ewan ps. Here are a few of our favourite discoveries from the recent walking tours researched by Katie Grieves and Katherine Scott and now, importantly, added to Wikipedia: ✨ ‘Ranger’s Impartial List of Ladies of Pleasure’ (1775) - a guide to 66 of Edinburgh’s prostitutes - includes at least two potential LGBTQ+ figures. One was an individual who went by the alias “Henry” (a traditionally masculine name meaning king or household ruler), and another was Miss M’Culloch, who was noted for wearing men’s clothing. Significantly, both worked at the same brothel (located on the Royal Mile), hinting at an establishment that catered to a very particular clientele! ✨Two literary legends, Robert Fergusson and Sir Walter Scott, were both associated with all-male societies known for their homoerotic activities: Fergusson with the ‘Cape Club’ and Scott with the ‘Beggar’s Benison’. ✨In the 1811 libel case of Miss Woods and Miss Pirie against Helen Cumming Gordon, the court took extraordinary steps to keep the proceedings secret: records were sealed, witness transcripts could not be copied or removed from the building, and the trial was held behind locked doors. These measures were put in place as the judges feared that awareness of alleged lesbian activity might corrupt public morals. ✨New page added to Wikipedia about Bell's Wynd based on Katherine and Katie's research. Edinburgh has loads of these wee mediaeval alleyways coming off the Royal Mile. Quite incredible that they have been around for over 500 years and yet so many don't have Wikipedia pages on their rich histories.... yet "We’ve absolutely loved sharing Edinburgh’s hidden histories over the last year and... we’re not done yet." - Katherine Scott. Absolutely! Ewan McAndrew SFHEA Wikimedian in Residence Website for the residency<https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/help-consultancy/is-skills/wikime…> and Map of Accused Witches site<http://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/> Email: ewan.mcandrew(a)ed.ac.uk<mailto:ewan.mcandrew@ed.ac.uk> Blog: WiR blog<https://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/> Tel: 07867 593450 Subscribe to the Scotwiki mailing list<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSctpnDjO_PHZeOTrA0yjtVLqE4oDfjLtYh…> My working hours are 9:30am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday. Book chapter on Gender Equality work: Changing the Way Stories Are Told<https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.11778416.ch13.en> Wikipedia Project Page: Wikipedia:University_of_Edinburgh<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:University_of_Edinburgh> Media Hopper channel: Videos and video tutorials<https://media.ed.ac.uk/channel/Wikimedian%2Bin%2BResidence%2BChannel/510201…> YouTube: Wikimedian in Residence channel<https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSDRSVKM4ceUSPI-7-BFeoQ?view_as=subscriber> Wikimedia in Education: New booklet of UK Case Studies<https://open.ed.ac.uk/wikimedia-in-education/> Join Wikimedia in Scotland<https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Wikimedia_in_Scotland> events and UoE events<https://www.events.ed.ac.uk/index.cfm?eventssearch=wikipedia&event=search&e…>. The University of Edinburgh, Floor H (West), Argyle House, 3 Lady Lawson Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9DR. www.ed.ac.uk<http://www.ed.ac.uk/> [cid:6a04c96e-2104-44ba-a4c9-c384a73fb8ce][cid:a6edb783-fbfb-4052-b832-20d904911402][cid:26d07fc9-5511-425f-9e3a-1df1b25a8411] The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336. Is e buidheann carthannais a th’ ann an Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann, clàraichte an Alba, àireamh clàraidh SC005336.

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Is anyone else an admin on this list?
by David Gerard 21 Jul '25

21 Jul '25

I can't actually see the list of admins in Postorious and I'm wondering if it's just me left as active. We probably need at least three, ideally one from WMUK. (This is the WM-in-UK list, not the WMUK list, but that way it's at least part of one person's job!) Action needed is basically clearing and blocking the spam and letting through genuine messages - from non-members, or messages that are very large but relevant. - d.

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My appointment to the Global Resource Distribution Committee
by Lucy Crompton-Reid 18 Jul '25

18 Jul '25

Dear all I'm pleased to let you know that I am one of three Affiliate representatives that have been selected to join the new Global Resource Distribution Committee (GRDC) for the Wikimedia movement. The GRDC <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Global_Resource_Distribution_Committee/Crea…> is one of three pilot initiatives that the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees mandated after they decided not to ratify the Movement Charter last year. The Committee is being established for an initial period of two years and there will be 13 members, made up of 8 regional volunteer representatives, a thematic volunteer seat (taken by the UK's own Lucy Moore, Winner of UK Wikimedian of the Year 2022 and a prolific editor dedicated to improving the coverage of women), one WMF staff member (Jorge Vargas, Senior Director of Partnerships and Grants) and three affiliate staff members. On a separate but related note, I have recently been involved in the creation of a new paper Towards a Healthy Ecosystem of Movement Organisations <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Towards_a_Healthy_Ecosystem_of_Wikimedia_Or…>. This is still gathering feedback on meta in advance of in person/online sessions in August, and I would very much welcome input from the UK community. With best wishes Lucy -- Lucy Crompton-Reid Chief Executive 07803 505 169 *My pronouns are she/her and my name is pronounced like this <https://namedrop.io/lucycromptonreid>*

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July's Mini Wiki - Quick and Easy ways to stay involved in the Wiki World
by Rupal Karia 02 Jul '25

02 Jul '25

Hello Everyone, I hope you are all well. Here <https://wikimedia.org.uk/2025/02/time-contribute-open-knowledge-quick/>is the latest edition of Mini Wiki. Carrying on with last month's theme and as Wiki Loves Earth <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Earth> continues, this month we are showcasing Wiki Pages Wanting Photos <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_Pages_Wanting_Photos_2025>. This is a campaign running from 1st July to 31st August to encourage the use of digital media files collected from various Wikimedia photography contests on Wikipedia articles. Photos help to grasp the reader's attention, illustrate content, and make the article more instructive and engaging for readers. Every year thousands of images are shared by participants of international photography competitions such as Wiki Loves Monuments <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wiki_Loves_Monuments>, Wiki Loves Earth <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Earth>(currently taking place) and Wiki Loves Folklore <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Folklore> and many of these images just stay on Wikimedia Commons. Click here to find out how you can help. <https://wikimedia.org.uk/2025/02/time-contribute-open-knowledge-quick/> To help us keep track of how Mini Wiki is being used, please use the #wmuk in your edit summary. We’d love to hear from you on your experience of using Mini Wiki. Feel free to reply to me off-list or to tag us on social media if you’d like to share your progress @wikimediauk! If you have an idea for a task that you would like the UK community’s help with that is quick and simple, then email rupal.karia(a)wikimedia.org.uk. Best wishes, -- Rupal Karia (she/her) Outreach and Community Coordinator *My pronouns are she/her and my name is pronounced like this <https://namedrop.io/rupalkaria>* Working hours - Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 9-5pm [image: https://wikimedia.org.uk/donate/] <https://wikimedia.org.uk/donate/> Wikimedia UK <https://wikimedia.org.uk/> is the national chapter for the global Wikimedia open knowledge movement. Follow us on Twitter <https://twitter.com/wikimediauk>, Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/WikimediaUK>, LinkedIn <https://www.linkedin.com/company/496119>, and Instagram <https://www.instagram.com/wikimediauk/>. Wikimedia UK is a registered charity in England and Wales No.1144513 and Scotland No. SC048644. Company Limited by Guarantee, Registration No. 6741827. Registered Office C/O Wikimedia UK, Level 4, Room 46018, 96 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DB

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Wikimediauk-l July 2025