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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Wikileaks Press Release <press(a)wikileaks.org>
Date: Sat, May 17, 2008 at 2:18 PM
Subject: [WL-News] Wikimedia Foundation in danger of losing immunity under
the Communications Decency Act
To: newsmarkie(a)gmail.com
Cc: Wikileaks News Releases <news(a)lists.sunshinepress.org>
Wikileaks Press Release
Sat May 17 14:09:38 GMT 2008
Wikileaks has revealed that the Wikimedia Foundation Board (which legally
controls
Wikipedia.org and
Wikinews.org) has killed off a Wikinews report
into the Barabara Bauer vs. Wikimedia Foundation case.
Wikinews.org is a collaborative general news site that often produces
quality original reportage and is meant to be editorially independent from
the WMF.
The WMF board also suppressed, prior to publication, a Wikinews
investigation into child and other pornography on Wikipedia, which was
subsequently and independently covered by Valley Wag and other media outlets
this week.
The US Communications Deceny Act (CDA) section 230 grants providers of
internet services (such as the Wikipedia and Wikinews) immunity from legal
action related to their user generated content provided they do not exercise
pre-publication control.
In deleting articles articles unfavourable to the WMF prior to publication,
Wikileaks states that the WMF control of Wikinews not only appears to lack
journalistic integrity but that "The Wikimedia Foundation may have set a
dangerous precedent that could see it lose its CDA section 230 immunity."
The EFF and Sheppard Mullin are using CDA section 230 as the primary defense
of the WMF in the Barbara Bauer defamation case.
WikiLeaks is an international union of organizations and individuals and is
unrelated to the WMF.
Links:
*
http://wikileaks.org/wiki/Wikinews_suppressed_article_on_Barbara_Bauer_vs._…
*
http://wikileaks.org/wiki/Wikinews_suppressed_Wikipedia_pornography_investi…
* EFF and Sheppard Mullin Defend Wikipedia in Defamation Case
http://www.eff.org/press/archives/2008/05/02
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