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Fri Sep 2 16:33:14 UTC 2011

terms of use within the Wikimedia Foundation internally, and then the
department anticipates recommending their adoption to the Board.  We expect
the Board will take some time to review before reaching a final decision.

Needless to say, this project would have been impossible without the hard
work and expertise of our community. Through their tireless effort, the
community mentored important and deep discussions on critical subjects for
Wikimedia.  The process forced us to think about issues that we had never
addressed directly. In short, the value of collaboration quickly became
obvious. Its magic created a document many times better than the original.

Geoff Brigham, Wikimedia Foundation

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General Counsel Geoff Brigham recently published the following (at <a href=
=3D"http://blog.wikimedia.org/2011/12/31/terms-of-use/">http://blog.wikimed=
ia.org/2011/12/31/terms-of-use/</a> ) which I am copying here for your edif=
ication. =A0:)<div>

<br></div><div>pb<br clear=3D"all"><div>___________________</div><div><br><=
/div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><h2 style=3D"font-size:19px;backgro=
und-image:none;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);border-bottom-width:1px;bo=
rder-bottom-style:solid;border-bottom-color:rgb(170,170,170);font-weight:no=
rmal;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padd=
ing-bottom:0.17em;padding-top:0.5em;font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19px=
;background-repeat:repeat repeat">

<a href=3D"http://blog.wikimedia.org/2011/12/31/terms-of-use/" rel=3D"bookm=
ark" title=3D"Permanent Link: Terms of use" style=3D"text-decoration:none;c=
olor:rgb(11,0,128);background-image:none;background-color:initial;backgroun=
d-repeat:initial initial">Terms of use</a></h2>

<div class=3D"postinfo" style=3D"font-size:12px;margin-bottom:1.2em;font-fa=
mily:sans-serif;line-height:19px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Posted =
by=A0<a href=3D"http://blog.wikimedia.org/author/geoff/" title=3D"Posts by =
Geoff" rel=3D"author" style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:rgb(11,0,128);bac=
kground-image:none;background-color:initial;background-repeat:initial initi=
al">Geoff</a>=A0on December 31st, 2011</div>

<div class=3D"entry" style=3D"overflow-x:auto;overflow-y:auto;font-family:s=
ans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)=
"><p style=3D"margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-=
left:0px;line-height:1.5em">

I am happy to announce that we have completed the most collaborative, inter=
active drafting of a proposed=A0<a href=3D"http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/T=
erms_of_use" style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:rgb(11,0,128);background-i=
mage:none;background-color:initial;background-repeat:initial initial">terms=
 of use</a>=A0for any major website. =A0 For more than 120 days, the Wikime=
dia community reviewed, drafted, and redrafted with more than 200 edits mod=
ifying the original proposal. =A0While accumulating 19,000 page views, comm=
unity members offered comments, edits, and rewrites. =A0Complete or partial=
 translations appeared in 20+ languages. =A0 With over 4500 lines of text a=
nd as many words as Steinbeck=92s classic =93The Grapes of Wrath,=94 discus=
sion helped ensure a thoughtful process.

These proposed terms of use are intended to repla=
ce=A0<a href=3D"http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Terms_of_use" style=3D"=
text-decoration:none;color:rgb(11,0,128);background-image:none;background-c=
olor:initial;background-repeat:initial initial">our present version</a>. It=
 is not commonly known that our present terms are nothing more than a licen=
sing agreement, not traditional terms of use. The new proposed terms of use=
 represent a step forward and a more comprehensive view of the Wikimedia pr=
ojects. =A0Among other things, they provide for:

<ul style=3D"line-height:1.5em;list-style-type:square;margin-top:0.3em;marg=
in-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:1.5em;padding-top:0px;padding-ri=
ght:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px"><li style=3D"margin-bottom:0.1=
em">

<strong>Better understanding:</strong>=A0=A0The proposed agreement includes=
 an easy-to-read template summary to help facilitate understanding of the t=
erms.</li><li style=3D"margin-bottom:0.1em"><strong>Stronger security:</str=
ong>=A0The proposed agreement prohibits a number of actions =96 like instal=
ling malware =96 that could compromise our systems. We thought we should be=
 clear as to what is unacceptable in this area, though most of these restri=
ctions will not be surprising or represent any real change in practice.</li=
>

<li style=3D"margin-bottom:0.1em">Clearer roles:=A0We have=
 heard a number of community members asking for guidance, so we set out cle=
arly the roles and responsibilities of the community, including editors and=
 contributors. =A0The proposed agreement also seeks to provide guidelines t=
o help users avoid trouble.</li>

<li style=3D"margin-bottom:0.1em">More community feedback:=
=A0With this version, and with each major revision afterwards, we want the =
community to be involved. So the proposed agreement gives users at least a =
30-day comment period before a major revision goes into effect (with Board =
approval). There is a 3-day exception for urgent legal and administrative c=
hanges.</li>

<li style=3D"margin-bottom:0.1em">Clearer free licensing:=
=A0We feel our present agreement is somewhat confusing on the free licensin=
g requirements. The proposed agreement attempts to explain more clearly tho=
se requirements for editors (without changing existing practices).</li>

<li style=3D"margin-bottom:0.1em">More tools against harassment, th=
reats, stalking, vandalism, and other long-term issues:=A0The prop=
osed agreement would make clear that such acts are prohibited. Novel for us=
, the agreement raises the possibility of a global ban for extreme cross-wi=
ki violations, a need that we have heard expressed from a number of communi=
ty members. =A0While the global ban is authorized by the terms of use, it w=
ill be implemented by community policy.</li>

<li style=3D"margin-bottom:0.1em"><strong>Better legal protection:</strong>=
=A0The proposed agreement incorporates legal sections that are commonly use=
d to help safeguard a site like ours, such as better explanation of our hos=
ting status as well as disclaimers and limitations on liability for the Fou=
ndation.</li>

</ul><p style=3D"margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;marg=
in-left:0px;line-height:1.5em">If you=92re interested in more detailed reas=
ons why we are proposing updated terms of use, you can find a thorough disc=
ussion=A0<a href=3D"http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Terms_of_use#Reason=
s_for_the_New_Terms_of_Use" style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:rgb(11,0,12=
8);background-image:none;background-color:initial;background-repeat:initial=
 initial">here</a>. =A0Suffice it to say, we are consistent with other like=
-minded organizations, which have incorporated similar agreements, includin=
g=A0<a href=3D"http://www.archive.org/about/terms.php" style=3D"text-decora=
tion:none;color:rgb(11,0,128);background-image:none;background-color:initia=
l;background-repeat:initial initial">Internet Archives</a>,=A0<a href=3D"ht=
tps://creativecommons.org/terms" style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:rgb(11=
,0,128);background-image:none;background-color:initial;background-repeat:in=
itial initial">Creative Commons</a>,=A0<a href=3D"http://www.mozilla.org/en=
-US/about/legal.html" style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:rgb(11,0,128);bac=
kground-image:none;background-color:initial;background-repeat:initial initi=
al">Mozilla Firefox</a>,=A0<a href=3D"http://www.opensource.org/ToS" style=
=3D"text-decoration:none;color:rgb(11,0,128);background-image:none;backgrou=
nd-color:initial;background-repeat:initial initial">Open Source Initiative<=
/a>,=A0<a href=3D"http://www.reddit.com/help/useragreement" style=3D"text-d=
ecoration:none;color:rgb(11,0,128);background-image:none;background-color:i=
nitial;background-repeat:initial initial">Reddit</a>,=A0<a href=3D"http://w=
ww.gutenberg.org/wiki/Gutenberg:The_Project_Gutenberg_License" style=3D"tex=
t-decoration:none;color:rgb(11,0,128);background-image:none;background-colo=
r:initial;background-repeat:initial initial">Project Gutenberg</a>,=A0<a hr=
ef=3D"https://www.linux.com/terms" style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:rgb(=
11,0,128);background-image:none;background-color:initial;background-repeat:=
initial initial">Linux Foundation</a>,=A0<a href=3D"http://stackexchange.co=
m/legal" style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:rgb(11,0,128);background-image=
:none;background-color:initial;background-repeat:initial initial">StackExch=
ange</a>,=A0<a href=3D"http://www.wikispaces.com/terms" style=3D"text-decor=
ation:none;color:rgb(11,0,128);background-image:none;background-color:initi=
al;background-repeat:initial initial">WikiSpaces</a>, and=A0<a href=3D"http=
://en.wordpress.com/tos/" style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:rgb(11,0,128)=
;background-image:none;background-color:initial;background-repeat:initial i=
nitial">WordPress.com</a>.</p>

Specifically, in its more than 320 printed pages =
of discussions, the community raised, discussed, and resolved more than 120=
 issues. =A0There were many substantive and editorial changes that greatly =
improved the document. =A0Much language was deleted or tightened at communi=
ty request. =A0As part of this process, the community addressed a number of=
 interesting topics, such as:

<ul style=3D"line-height:1.5em;list-style-type:square;margin-top:0.3em;marg=
in-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:1.5em;padding-top:0px;padding-ri=
ght:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px"><li style=3D"margin-bottom:0.1=
em">

Whether we should emphasize that the community (not WMF) is primarily respo=
nsible for enforcing policy: =A0We agreed to underscore this primary respon=
sibility of the community to avoid any confusion.</li><li style=3D"margin-b=
ottom:0.1em">

Whether we should include an indemnification clause to the benefit of WMF: =
=A0=A0We chose to delete it in light of community concerns.</li><li style=
=3D"margin-bottom:0.1em">Whether we should adopt a =93human-readable=94 ver=
sion to facilitate understanding: =A0We agreed to incorporate such a summar=
y.</li>

<li style=3D"margin-bottom:0.1em">Whether we should expressly prohibit link=
ing to certain sites: =A0We chose not to, deleting earlier language unaccep=
table to the community.</li><li style=3D"margin-bottom:0.1em">Whether we sh=
ould require civility and politeness: =A0With varying views, we decided to =
=93encourage=94 it.</li>

<li style=3D"margin-bottom:0.1em">Whether the WMF should provide resources =
to support forks: =A0We chose not to address this now, though we agreed to =
highlight the discussion to the Board for its consideration.</li><li style=
=3D"margin-bottom:0.1em">

Whether we should emphasize the independent roles of chapters: =A0We chose =
to do so.</li><li style=3D"margin-bottom:0.1em">Whether we should increase =
the liability limitation for WMF from $100 to $1000: =A0We answered affirma=
tively.</li>

<li style=3D"margin-bottom:0.1em">Whether we should provide for additional =
comment time after the posting of translations in three key languages: =A0W=
e said =93yes=94 to address international community concerns.</li></ul><p s=
tyle=3D"margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0=
px;line-height:1.5em">