Grants:IdeaLab/Public relations panic button

Idealab

Public relations panic button

The Wikimedia community would benefit from having a community member available to address public relations issues.

idea creator• Bluerasberry

this project needs...

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created on11:13, 3 October 2014 (UTC)

Project idea

What is the problem you're trying to solve?

It sometimes happens that Wikimedia community members are contacted by the media or public and requested to comment on an issue about which they do not wish to talk. It would be ideal if there were a way to pass along responsibility to respond to such requests.

In most situations the Wikimedia Foundation can handle these sorts of issues, but over the years there have been repeated situations which put the Wikimedia community and the Wikimedia Foundation at a conflict of interest with each other, and in such circumstances, it would sustain community health if Wikimedia community members who needed support had some opportunity for professional guidance.

There is particular concern about harassment. Wikimedia community volunteers are almost never prepared to give public statements about harassment when it involves other Wikimedia community members. Although having a public relations contact in general is useful, to narrow the scope of this just to one priority area, it would be ideal to have a spokesperson to whom Wikimedia community members could make referrals in case a harassment issue arises and people are pressured to say something.

What is your solution?

A community member is funded to be on hand to manage such requests. Anyone who gets a media request or public question they do not like can pass it along to this professional person who will handle the situation.

Goals

• Provide this service in coordination with other related services, perhaps under the direction of a community human resources staffperson

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