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Designing equitable decision-making in the Wikimedia Movement

Alice Wiegand, Nora Circosta, Nicole Ebber

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General Framing

Governance is how decisions are made that affect the environment in which you do your work.
So far, a defined governance structure for our Movement is missing – i.e. who takes which decisions has not yet been defined.
People feel that some decisions are not fair and not legitimate.
A group of people (MCDC) is drafting a Charter to improve the current situation.

CC BY-SA 3.0, Kristian Peters

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Communities

Affiliates

Wikimedia Foundation

The current situation

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New entity introduced by MS: Hubs

Communities

Affiliates

Hubs

Wikimedia Foundation

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New entity introduced by MS: Global Council

Communities

Affiliates

Hubs

Wikimedia Foundation

Global Council

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What should be the role of these entities in the future and how should decisions be made?

Communities

Affiliates

Hubs

Wikimedia Foundation

Global Council

???

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1

Money

(Fundraising & Distribution)

2

Technology

& Projects

3

Affiliation

& Hubs

Choose one of the following decision areas

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Choose the area of decision making that you want to discuss .
Each group will discuss three concrete examples of decisions made in that area that affect the whole movement.
During the conversation, keep in mind that different entities can be involved in making decisions:

Global Council, Hubs, Affiliates, Wikimedia Foundation, Communities

Share your thoughts and don’t be afraid to disagree :)

What do we do in the small groups?

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Money

CC by SA 4.0, Tomere

Who should decide if a grant proposal gets funded?

Who should be able to do banner fundraising and why?

Who decides the criterias to raise funds with the Wikimedia trademark?

NORA

Imagine you are a Wikimedia Chapter and you need an annual grant of 150.000 S$ to pay your first staff member and make the things you planned for the coming year. Who should decide if your proposal gets funding,why should they decide?

Currently, the WMF decides how much money is allocated to the communities and affiliates. The grants committees make recommendations to the WMF on how to allocate this money. The WMF makes the final decision.

Right now, only the WMF, WMDE and WMCH are allowed to raise funds via banners in Wikipedia. Should this change in the future? And if yes, what other entities should be allowed to do banner fundraising and why?

Since Haifa in 2011, only WMF and a few chapters can do banner fundraising. Before Haifa, several Chapters were doing their own fundraising.

You want to raise money for your affiliate by using the Wikimedia name/trademark. Who should decide if it is possible or not and what conditions you have to fulfill to do so?

Currently, the WMF owns the trademark and decides who can or cannot fundraise with the Wikimedia trademark.

https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/wikimania-decisions

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Technology and projects

Who should define the technical development areas or priorities for the Movement?

Who should set standards for and approve sister projects?

Who should set standards for and approve language projects?

ALICE

Who should define the technical development areas or priorities for the Movement? For example, who decides if fixing Commons will become a priority for WMF. Or who decides if our technology is built around the needs of the existing communities or new editors?

Currently, this is being decided by the WMF after consulting with the communities and affiliates.

Check with FH: Wikibase/Wikidata

Who should set standards for and approve sister projects? For example, who decides if Wikifunctions should be started and resourced as a sister project or if it should be shut down?

Currently, this is being done by the WMF.

Who should set standards for and approve language projects?

Currently, the LangCom advises the WMF who makes the final decision.

https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/wikimania-decisions

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Affiliation & Hubs

Who should recognize and de-recognize affiliates?

Who decides on the conditions for Hubs to be recognized?

Who decides what a Hub should be working on?

NICOLE

You want to start a new Chapter, who should decide if you can do so and get the necessary support? Who should recognize and de-recognize affiliates?

Currently, AffCom (Board committee) recognises User Groups, and the WMF Board recognizes Chapters and Thematic Organizations after consultation with AffCom. AffCom also advises WMF Board on derecognition of Affiliates.

Who decides on the conditions for Hubs to be recognized? For example, if some volunteers decide to create a Hub in a region where several affiliates already exist, who decides if they can do so?

Currently, there are no official conditions to be recognized as a Hub since this concept doesn’t have any official definition. The Movement/Charter wants to create clear standards and guidelines for recognition to avoid this kind of conflict.

Who decides what a Hub should be working on? For example, who decides if a Hub can focus on a particular topic?

Currently, there is no official structure for it yet; the WMF has created some guidelines on hubs. Ongoing hub project decides autonomously what they wish to work on.

https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/wikimania-decisions

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See you in 30 minutes!

CC BY-SA 4.0, Sumita Roy Dutta

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1

Money

(Fundraising & Distribution)

2

Technology

& Projects

3

Affiliation

& Hubs

Share one highlight from the conversation

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Next steps

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Review and comment on the Movement Charter Drafts

Go to the Governance sessions at Wikimania

For eligible affiliates: Join the online engagement session for the Wikimedia Summit 2024

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Thank you!

CC BY-SA 4.0, Sumita Roy Dutta