Wikimedia Forum/Archives/2021-07

The 2021 Board of Trustees election opens 4 August 2021. Candidates from the community were asked to submit their candidacy. After a three week long call for candidates, there are 20 candidates for the 2021 election.

The Wikimedia movement has the opportunity to vote for the selection of community-and-affiliate trustees. The Board is expected to select the four most voted candidates to serve as trustees. Voting closes 17 August 2021.

The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees oversees the Wikimedia Foundation's operations. The Board wants to improve their competences and diversity as a team. They have shared the areas of expertise that they are currently missing and hope to cover with new trustees.

How can you get involved? Learn more about candidates. Organize campaign activities. Vote.

Read the full announcement.

Best,

The Elections Committee

Announcement posted by User:Xeno (WMF) at 01:50, 4 July 2021 (UTC)

Upcoming UCOC/MSG round-table discussion on 17 July 2021 at 15:00 UTC

Hello,

The Movement Strategy and Governance facilitation team will be hosting round-table discussions for Wikimedians to talk together about the Universal Code of Conduct, Movement Charter, ongoing 2021 Wikimedia Foundation Board Elections, and other Movement Strategy initiatives.

The next call is 17 July 2021 at 15:00 UTC. Conversations will be hosted in at least French, German, Spanish, and English.

The calls will last between 90 and 120 minutes and involve open discussions. The ideas shared during the calls will be summarized for the Wikimedia Foundation teams working on these topics.

We look forward to talking with you. Please see further details and sign up here.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Xeno (WMF) (talk) 23:29, 15 July 2021 (UTC)

This section was archived on a request by:  — billinghurst sDrewth 00:54, 12 August 2021 (UTC)

Is it time to leave IRC on freenode.net? Definitely leave?

Hi.

Is it time to leave IRC on freenode.net? Definitely leave?

Because, now it is required to register, when You want use that server.

ERROR :Closing link: (~NICKk@rDNS) [You must use TLS/SSL and authenticate via SASL to connect to freenode please visit https://irc.com/login/sso in order to create an account. SASL Configuration: https://freenode.net/kb/answer/sasl - Webchat: https://webchat.freenode.net/]

Here is the current situation:

✍️ Dušan Kreheľ (talk) 22:09, 29 July 2021 (UTC)

freenode.net is unofficial now. Look You IRC. ✍️ Dušan Kreheľ (talk) 06:18, 30 July 2021 (UTC)
@Dušan Kreheľ: See IRC/Migrating to Libera Chat. We have shut up shop at Freenode.  — billinghurst sDrewth 07:34, 30 July 2021 (UTC)
Context note: This thread is related to the suggestion for adding a reminder about the migration into next week's Tech/News/2021/31, which is now done. :) Quiddity (WMF) (talk) 19:57, 30 July 2021 (UTC)
This section was archived on a request by:  — billinghurst sDrewth 00:54, 12 August 2021 (UTC)

Universal Code of Conduct News – Issue 2

Universal Code of Conduct News
Issue 2, July 2021Read the full newsletter


Welcome to the second issue of Universal Code of Conduct News! This newsletter will help Wikimedians stay involved with the development of the new code and will distribute relevant news, research, and upcoming events related to the UCoC.

If you haven’t already, please remember to subscribe here if you would like to be notified about future editions of the newsletter, and also leave your username here if you’d like to be contacted to help with translations in the future.

  • Enforcement Draft Guidelines Review - Initial meetings of the drafting committee have helped to connect and align key topics on enforcement, while highlighting prior research around existing processes and gaps within our movement. (continue reading)
  • Targets of Harassment Research - To support the drafting committee, the Wikimedia Foundation has conducted a research project focused on experiences of harassment on Wikimedia projects. (continue reading)
  • Functionaries’ Consultation - Since June, Functionaries from across the various wikis have been meeting to discuss what the future will look like in a global context with the UCoC. (continue reading)
  • Roundtable Discussions - The UCoC facilitation team once again, hosted another roundtable discussion, this time for Korean-speaking community members and participants of other ESEAP projects to discuss the enforcement of the UCoC. (continue reading)
  • Early Adoption of UCoC by Communities - Since its ratification by the Board in February 2021, situations whereby UCoC is being adopted and applied within the Wikimedia community has grown. (continue reading)
  • New Timeline for the Interim Trust & Safety Case Review Committee - The CRC was originally expected to conclude by July 1. However, with the UCoC now expected to be in development until December, the timeline for the CRC has also changed. (continue reading)
  • Wikimania - The UCoC team is planning to hold a moderated discussion featuring representatives across the movement during Wikimania 2021. It also plans to have a presence at the conference’s Community Village. (continue reading)
  • Diff blogs - Check out the most recent publications about the UCoC on Wikimedia Diff blog. (continue reading)

--SOyeyele (WMF) (talk) 16:38, 14 July 2021 (UTC)

Feedback?

For the proposal of ADD pedia? Best. Ruggtn (talk) 10:14, 16 July 2021 (UTC)

WMF organizational structure

In the last weeks I have thinked about decision making and how far hierarchy is neccessary for that. After the Wikimedia Foundation does not have an CEO at the moment I have thinked about how far a CEO is needed or if there are other possibilities to make decisions. In the Wikimedia Projects there are only flat hierarchies. In the Wikimedia Foundation there are several levels of staff and so there is a in relation to the Wikimedia projects high hierarchy. From my point of view the currenct situation can be a chance to think about how far it is needed and possible to reorganize the Wikimedia Foundation to make sure that the employees can participate in the decisions to avoid decisions that are done without a clearer understanding of a situation. From my point of view maybe one change could be to create a leader team instead of one CEO to reduce hierarchy. There are examples of companies with several chiefs responsible for different topics. This is from my point of view a good thing. I asked a question on today at the conversation about the Annual Plan if it is planned to implement something like a work council at the Wikimedia Foundation for the representation of the employees and as far as I have understand there are plans to do that. What do you think about the structure of the Wikimedia Foundation. Do you think that there is a lot of hierarchy or not and what do you think about the idea of having a team that leads the Wikimedia Foundation instead of one CEO. As a volunteer I am interested in good working conditions for the employees and I also like that there are low hierarchies at the Wikimedia Foundation. It is from my point of view for employees more atractive to work with low hierarchy if there is a clear mission as it is in the Wikimedia Foundation.--Hogü-456 (talk) 19:42, 26 July 2021 (UTC)

Blocking Wikimedia projects in Iran

Iranian parliament has passed a law according to which the general management of the Internet will be handed over to the armed forces and the situation of the Iranian Internet will become something between North Korea and China.[1] According to the plan, foreign platforms must either be officially active in Iran and comply with the requests of Iran's security agencies or will be blocked. I have no doubt that they will block Wikipedia and all other projects in order to get rid of all its political and sexual content and establish their own controlled encyclopedia. Transparency is needed, what is the foundation's plan for this? --IamMM (talk) 07:08, 31 July 2021 (UTC)