User:魔琴/Blackout advice

(English) This is an essay. It expresses the opinions and ideas of some Wikimedians but may not have wide support. This is not policy on Meta, but it may be a policy or guideline on other Wikimedia projects. Feel free to update this page as needed, or use the discussion page to propose major changes.

Sometimes Wikimedia projects may decide to blackout in protest of a current event. It's an impelling and persuading movement and publicizes the demands of the communities and the people they represent. So how do we organize a blackout? Here is some advice you or your community may find useful.

• Find a big community: If you would like a blackout, it's better to start the discussion on a bigger project. There is a great disparity between a blackout on Wikipedia in classical Chinese and the one in the modern language. If the issue is global, consider the English Wikipedia.
• Choose the time: Any time would be good enough. A length of 24 hours is conventional, though a longer period can be considered if you're on a project that is smaller than the English Wikipedia.
• Start a petition page: It is advised to start a page where supporters of the demand can sign their user names. Readers who run into this blackout may want to express support and gratitude. It is a good way to increase interaction between the readers and the editors.
• Design the blackout page: It is a page that will be displayed on every single page during the blackout. You should be careful with it. Please specify that the blackout means no editing and whether reading is permitted or not. Express your need in less fierce terms. Consider using wording and rhetoric to insinuate certain events or behaviors, and express your fondness and aversion. Instead of shouting out slogans and wait for people to relate, try convincing them with reason and moving them with emotion. Please follow the WCAG, especially the color contrast requirements. You may consult Phabracator for help.
• Contact media: News flies faster with media. Please consider contacting major news agencies, newspapers, etc., to spread the message of the blackout. You may ask the Foundation to help with the propaganda.
• Implement the blackout: Local administrators should implement the blackout. Please use the Title Blacklist to deter editing but consider whitelisting the petition page and other related places. Please do not use site-wide JavaScript to log out users.
• End the blackout: The project should return to normal after the blackout.