Talk:Movement Strategy/Recommendations/Iteration 1/Advocacy/1
- The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it.
- Most likely, new comments will not be taken into account by the new three Working Group members in their work of developing the final Recommendations. You are free however to continue discussing in the spirit of "discussing about Wikipedia is a work in progress". :)
There are many more technology tools available today to assist grassroots advocacy than existed back in 2001, and the community should make them available to advocate for our concerns. However, it is very important the community advocates understand from the outset the constraints under which we all will operate. The idea of a central advocacy "playbook" in a later recommendation would be essential to maintaining a consistent voice and scope while expanding the depth of our advocacy team. If some topic is with the approved scope, then individuals, affiliates and chapters can speak out in the name of Wikipedia/Wikimedia. If some topic is outside the approved scope, then no collective action under the WMF umbrella should be taken and the tools not used. Many other large membership groups undertake advocacy and large-scale mobilization of their members using similar techniques without loss of focus and coherence, so our movement can succeed as well with proper policies and structure. I recommend that each person who joins the "Advocacy hub" acknowledges special terms of use of the hub. Thank you, Hlevy2 (talk) 11:09, 15 August 2019 (UTC)
- Thanks for the comment, @Hlevy2:. Would you mind to elaborate a bit on the tools to help us to implement that thought? Which tools are you thinking of, are there examples where they are already used? Alice Wiegand (talk) 11:49, 22 August 2019 (UTC)
- @Lyzzy: This varies from nation to nation, but in the US, there is software to allow you to identify who your elected representatives are based on a residential address, optionally, this software can help you generate an email and/or phone call with predefined talking points. (WMF used this during the English Wikipedia SOPA blackout.) There is also software to help you contact registered voters by phone (or VOIP) if you are trying to build grassroots support in a region. Obviously these tools may not be as well developed in all nations, but all chapters should have a way to send out an alert to all chapter members an if an important matter requires grass roots advocacy. Another tool, that must be used sparingly, are banners on the project webpages. Hlevy2 (talk) 19:51, 27 August 2019 (UTC)