Hi all, it’s probably useful to paste in the “What for?” message for the Wikipedia Weekly Facebook group. Hopefully it will help clear things up.
—- From: https://www.facebook.com/notes/wikipedia-weekly/introduction-to-the-ww-group...
This is a quick note about what goes on here in the Wikipedia Weekly Facebook group. Thanks for joining what has become a useful forum in the last few years, and especially in recent months.
Perhaps a useful motto for this group is: "High signal, key voices, efficient volume." That's a label few would use to describe Wikimedia-L or on-wiki discussions, even though those are very necessary and key parts of the movement. In many ways, this is a meta-news group, pointing to the best and most interesting things happening in our community and the public. It's not meant to be a direct replacement for any venue that exists now.
This group started informally as a lively community space in lieu of, or in reaction to, Wikipedia Weekly podcast episodes. Signpost, Wikimedia chapter folks, WMF comms team, bloggers or any concerned community members are welcome in the interest of productive and informative discussions about the movement. One of the key aspects is that this is a respectful and highly interactive space that, like it or not, is Facebook's main value.
As for the public/private nature of what is said here: we probably don't have a great term for it. In some sense, it's like the open access vs TWL (The Wikipedia Library) argument – should the comments here be referenced (or given prominence) if it's firewalled behind a Facebook login. People can be expected to be quoted here, but not truly hyperlinked-to. Signpost, for example, has referenced discussions here on multiple occasions in its news stories. This group might get people to write opinions they wouldn't voice in other forums. I see that as a useful part of our communications ecosystem.
Experiments like Discourse (https://discourse.wmflabs.org/) might be the answer to help moderate the noisy, disparate and acerbic social spaces in our movement, and I welcome it. For now, I like that this group is serving an unmet need, and I thank the folks here for making it engaged and meaningful.
On Sun, Feb 21, 2016 at 7:26 PM, Risker risker.wp@gmail.com wrote:
I can agree with what you're saying, Craig. I can also understand what Brandon is saying - that some people prefer that interface.
Unlike many Facebook pages, though, this one is not public and cannot be viewed by anyone who does not have a FB account. It's the one venue that many interested parties cannot even read, let alone participate in, unless they're willing to give up some fairly significant privacy. I am disappointed, but I do not hold it against anyone for preferring to discuss issues in a venue not associated with Wikimedia.
Risker/Anne
On 21 February 2016 at 19:01, Craig Franklin cfranklin@halonetwork.net wrote:
People will have discussions at a location that is personally convenient for them. Unless you're going to reprogram human nature, I don't see
that
there's anything to be done about the resulting balkanisation of the discussion.
Cheers, Craig
On 22 February 2016 at 09:54, Thyge ltl.privat@gmail.com wrote:
I really wonder why wikimedia discussions have migrated to FB. Are we applying for a grant?
Thyge
2016-02-22 0:51 GMT+01:00 Newyorkbrad newyorkbrad@gmail.com:
I too am one of those people who is not to be found on Facebook. I only have room in my life for one online timesink ... and I already have Wikipedia :)
Newyorkbrad
On 2/21/16, Risker risker.wp@gmail.com wrote:
As has already been explained on this list, many people do not have
access
to Facebook. If this is something germane and useful to a lot of
people
on
this list, perhaps it would be appropriate to ask Jonathan to post
it
here.
Risker/Anne
On 21 February 2016 at 18:34, Anthony Cole ahcoleecu@gmail.com
wrote:
For those not following, I recommend the discussion in response to Jonathan Cardy's comment here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/wikipediaweekly/permalink/960989863948845/
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