Stephen LaPorte becomes the new General Counsel for the Wikimedia Foundation
The Wikimedia Foundation announced Stephen LaPorte as General Counsel. Stephen was previously Deputy General Counsel at the Foundation; he has held several leadership roles in the Legal department, covering a range of legal issues including copyright, trademarks, governance, and public policy.
U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Hear Wikimedia Foundation’s Challenge to NSA Mass Surveillance
The U.S. Supreme Court today denied the Wikimedia Foundation’s petition for review of its legal challenge to the National Security Agency’s (NSA) “Upstream” surveillance program. Under this program, the NSA systematically searches the contents of internet traffic entering and leaving the United States, including Americans’ private emails, messages, and web communications.
Behind the Wikipedia articles educating thousands about the 1838 Jesuit sale of enslaved people
It’s June 19, 1838. No one knows it yet, but the American Civil War will kick off in just over two decades. Slavery in the United States will come to an end after that conflict—but for now, the sale of enslaved human beings is still legal. Now, let’s bring in the Jesuits, a Catholic religious….
The Smithsonian’s quest to expand the history of Black women in food and drink on Wikipedia
The history of Black Americans has often been lost, overlooked, or credited to others. Unfortunately, that also includes the influence of Black women on the United States’ food and drink history. Meet Lena Richard: the first Black woman to host a cooking television show in the United States. That may sound like a big achievement,….
Celebrating eight years of AfroCROWD diversifying Wikipedia
Wikipedia is known for being the world’s largest encyclopedia that anyone can edit—but that does not mean everyone does. Whether due to social, political, or technological barriers that prevent people from sharing what they know with the world, the site is still missing out on a lot of the world’s wealth of knowledge. In particular,….
Black artists belong on Wikipedia — Black Lunch Table is making it happen
The school lunchroom can conjure up all kinds of memories. For the founders of the non-profit Black Lunch Table (BLT), it brought inspiration. The lunchroom offers a shared space for people to come together and connect. Black Lunch Table aims to replicate this experience. Since its founding in 2005, the oral history archiving project has….
Wikimedia Foundation urges Pakistan Telecommunications Authority to restore access to Wikipedia in Pakistan
On Friday, February 3, 2023, Pakistan’s Telecommunications Authority blocked Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects. The Wikimedia Foundation calls on Pakistan to restore access to Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects in the country immediately.
Wikipedia Gets a Fresh New Look: First Desktop Update in a Decade Puts Usability at the Forefront
The interface update, built in collaboration with Wikipedia volunteers worldwide, will make the site more welcoming, easier to use for everyone Update: On 4 May 2023, the desktop update was deployed to Spanish Wikipedia. The updated interface is now live on 95% of the 318 active language versions of Wikipedia for all desktop users. The….
2022 as you saw it on Wikipedia
It has been a long year dominated by news headline after news headline. The Russian government invaded Ukraine. Queen Elizabeth II died. Amber Heard and Johnny Depp. The World Cup. Everything surrounding Elon Musk. Wikipedia isn’t immune to that phenomenon. But in 2022, one particular English Wikipedia article captivated readers like you more than any….
Experience some of the world’s most beautiful places with Wiki Loves Earth 2022
Think about that feeling you get when you are walking through pristine nature. Do you think it can be captured in a single photo? The Wiki Loves Earth photography competition celebrates the world’s natural heritage, encompassing everything from small parks to massive nature reserves. It asks photographers to dive into those areas to pick out….
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