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Movement Strategy/Recommendations/Iteration 3/Community input/Provide for Safety and Security

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Community input

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Community input

Principles

Glossary

Wikimedians from all over the world agree that safety and security is a prerequisite for a good and sustainable contribution. Community feedback reflects the necessity of providing these prerequisites through different means, either offline or online. Threats can sometimes be very serious, and wikimedians expect the movement to be by their side in case of need, through legal, technical and moral support.

Define and Implement clear rules and guidelines within the movement

  • Adapt a standardized Code of conduct (context dependant) and procedures for a safer environment
    • Establish universal guidelines for interaction between Wikimedians (both offline and online) so that everyone can feel safe to participate.[1]
    • Adaptable to local contexts,[2] and be flexible to allow for cultural differences. Guidelines sent by the Foundation or even the community at large are mostly Western or Americanized.
  • Communication around Safety
    • Many Wikimedians pointed out that many users are uninformed about who to go to when they are harassed.[3]
    • More transparency is needed from the Trust & Safety team, particularly around investigations, sanctions, decision-making and used frameworks.[4]

WMF should act faster and more efficiently to protect Wikimedians in danger

  • Safety is not only about the community, but also about the government, jurisdiction and environment of the country where Wikimedians live in.[5]
  • WMF should engage in more discussions with governments to explain to them that affiliates are not responsible for the content.[6]

Support and Capacity Building

  • True anonymity on the projects should be allowed.
    • Users should be allowed to edit using VPN[7] or TOR.[8]
  • Build capacity in activism and privacy/security basics.
  • Build capacity about local laws so that Wikimedians to not put themselves in danger.[9]
  • Provide legal support in case of need for Wikimedians having problems with legal authorities in relation to their Wikimedia work.[10]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ “Establish a universal code of conduct and universal friendly space expectation governing all on-wiki and off-wiki community interactions.” Hong Kong Strategy Salon - July 2019.
  2. ↑ “In some countries in Africa (Ghana, Nigeria), LGBT is forbidden by the laws, so code of conducts cannot explicitly promote it, because Wikimedians would become targets.” Nigeria Youth Strategy Salon - July 2019.
  3. ↑ “Inform people about how they can reach out to report a problem (both on and off wiki). People are currently unaware of ways they can report or sanction bad behaviour.” Benin Strategy Salon (Parakou) - August 2019.
  4. ↑ “T&S team poisons the atmosphere in the larger Wikimedia projects by making decisions without communication their reason, making their decisions unverifiable. Not allowing any objections to the ruling is something that cannot be in any civilized society”. German Speaking Community - June 2019.
  5. ↑ “Governments target people who write articles opposing them (neutrality and facts are seen as dangerous in these countries). In 2015, a Wikimedian (Bassel Khartabil) in syria was killed by the government. Should we wait until more people are killed?” Arabic Speaking Community - June 2019.
  6. ↑ “There should be a clear written documentation explaining that affiliates (or single Wikipedians) are not responsible for what is written in the encyclopedia” Venezuela Strategy Salon - July 2019.
  7. ↑ “Lack of support for VPN is a barrier to safe editing in African/Conflict context” - Spanish Speaking Community from Equatorial Guinea - June 2019.
  8. ↑ “Without TOR and VPNs, it was almost impossible to edit due to the various restrictions on Wikimedia projects” Venezuela Strategy Salon - July 2019.
  9. ↑ “WMF should provide more capacity building for advocates, especially in terms of communication and legal”. Morocco Strategy Salon - July 2019.
  10. ↑ “Suggested support: Pay lawyer fees - Provide lawyer - Provide counselling and information about law and rights to the volunteers - Lobby within the country (with friend organizations / politiciens aligned with our cause) to help volunteers in problematic situations.” Venezuela Strategy Salon - July 2019.
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