Submissions/Polish anti-ACTA protest from Wikimedia Polska perspective

This is an accepted submission for Wikimania 2012.

Submission no.

705

Title of the submission: Polish anti-ACTA protest from Wikimedia Polska perspective
Type of submission (workshop, tutorial, panel, presentation): Presentation
Author of the submission: Tomasz Ganicz
E-mail address: polimerek at gmail.com
Username: Polimerek
Country of origin: Poland
Affiliation, if any (organization, company etc.): Wikimedia Polska
Personal homepage or blog: http://www.facebook.com/Polimerek
Abstract (at least 300 words to describe your proposal)

First day of protests in Warsaw

In January/February 2012, after it was found that Polish government is about to semi-secretly sign ACTA treaty (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement), several NGO-s involved in internet-related discussions with Polish authorities, decided to organize a street and media protests. The number of people which spontaneously joined the protests (30000 in Kraków, 2 x 15000 in Warsaw, 10000 in Poznan etc.) despite hard weather conditions (-15 deg C), surprised even the organizers.

As it was just after the December 2011 block-out of English Wikipedia, many protesters expected similar action to happen in Polish Wikipedia. Polish OTRS, and official Wikimedia Polska E-mail boxes were flooded by hundreds of E-mails asking to perform protest in Wikipedia, which is quite often seen as flagship project of free internet. 6 of 14 NGO-s from Coalition for Open Education [1], which was co-established by Wikimedia Polska in 2008 were also pushing us to join the protests. Wikipedia community and Wikimedia Polska association – both having the basic rule to be politically neutral appeared suddenly and unexpectedly in the very center of political, anti-governmental movement. Attempts to organize a block-out of Polish Wikipedia in 3 days, totally failed. The Polish Wikipedia community as well as the members of the Board of Wikimedia Polska were divided for those who supported, not-supported or wanted to stay neutral. In eyes of protesters Polish Wikipedia community lost their face – as in eyes of general public it was still connected with protests, despite block-out not happened.

The lecture will provide the in-sight view of this strange situation, how we coped with it, and what should be done for the future to make Wikimedia community respond in more reasonable way for such crisis situations.

Track (Wikis and the Public Sector; GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums); WikiCulture and Community; Research, Analysis, and Education; Technology and Infrastructure): Wikis and the Public Sector
Length of presentation/talk (if other than 25 minutes, specify how long): 25 Minutes
Will you attend Wikimania if your submission is not accepted?: Yes
Slides or further information (optional): Libre/Open Office presentation, see: http://tools.wikimedia.pl/~poli/Anti_Acta.odp

Relacja: Polimerek

Wykład wprowadzający do WLM - zasady i idea. Plany na ten rok - ma być nowy, jeszcze bardziej uproszczony upload wizard, serwis wyszukiwania zdjęć oraz aplikacja na androida, która ma być wypuszczona do testów już w przyszłym tygodniu.

Special request as to time of presentations (for example - can not present on Saturday)

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CT Cooper · talk 13:50, 21 February 2012 (UTC)[reply]
--AutoGyro (talk) 21:18, 13 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Amir E. Aharoni (talk)
Tbayer (WMF) (talk) 08:20, 19 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Zellfaze (talk) 19:29, 19 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Blue Rasberry (talk) 00:56, 6 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Just (talk) 18:11, 10 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
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