Legal realities and editorial freedom: understanding the challenges of editing in the changing environment
New Era of ESEAP:
Pioneer the Future Together!
Ramzy Muliawan
Wikimedia Foundation
Speaker Intro
Ramzy Muliawan
Senior Trust & Safety Policy Manager, Wikimedia Foundation
The Big Picture
Wikimedia projects are built on the idea that knowledge should be available to anyone, anywhere. But each country sets its own boundaries on what can be shared - from speech & defamation laws to copyright rules & restrictions on sensitive topics.
Credit: Qbox673, CC BY-SA 4.0
When volunteers write, edit, or curate content, they work under different legal systems, and what’s acceptable in one place may be risky or even unlawful in another.
What could go wrong?
Editorial Freedom vs. Legal Boundaries
A biography that’s legal in Asia, Africa, or North America might violate defamation rules elsewhere.
An image used under U.S. fair use could trigger takedowns in Europe.
A critical article about a local official might lead to pressure on editors in countries with limited press protections.
CC by SA 4.0, Sumita Roy Dutta
Our challenge?
These instances could be hypothetical, but similar situations happen on our projects every month.
Our challenge is to uphold Wikimedia’s values of openness, neutrality, and free access to information while also respecting — and at times carefully navigating — widely differing legal requirements across countries.
Through a decentralized model with shared responsibility
It is a partnership: Together, we balance the risk of takedowns, lawsuits, or forced censorship with our mission to keep knowledge free.
Legal Staff Support:
How do we navigate this challenge?
Volunteers Lead:
How does this play out in real life ?
Lintophilip, CC BY-SA 4.0
Real Life Scenarios
Situation | Collaborative Response |
A politician’s lawyer sends a defamation threat over a Wikipedia article. | Local editors review sources and policy compliance; Legal offers strategic guidance if the risk escalates. |
A cultural image flagged under stricter copyright rules abroad. | Volunteers discuss license validity; sometimes remove to avoid broader liability; Legal may confirm safe jurisdictions. |
Content about minority rights draws government scrutiny. | Community and Legal coordinate to protect contributors and uphold human rights principles. |
Nahedmahmoud, CC BY-SA 4.0
Why this matters for everyone
Legal literacy is not just for staff — every contributor benefits from knowing the basics of local law.
It helps to avoid unnecessary removals, strengthens project resilience, and empowers communities to handle legal risks with confidence.
It helps us explore how communities around the world respond to similar challenges within different legal contexts.
Legal Literacy Strengthens Communities
By: Amigos da Verdade, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Questions for discussion
Legal Fees Assistance Program
We cannot guarantee that every application will be accepted, but the Legal Team assesses each case against their protocols. More information can be found here: https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Legal:Wikimedia_Foundation_Legal_Fees_Assistance_Program
Digital Safety Resources compiled by the Human Rights team: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation/Legal/Community_Resilience_and_Sustainability/Human_Rights/Digital_Security_Resources
Emergencies
Resources
To report issues with other users or account issues, Trust and Safety Team - ca@wikimedia.org
For issues around Human Rights (such as being persecuted for good-faith edits by organized actors) - talktohumanrights@wikimedia.org
For emergencies: imminent threats of physical harm to others or self - emergency@wikimedia.org
To report disinformation during critical geopolitical events, including elections - Disinformation Response Taskforce (DRT) - drt@wikimedia.org
Resources
Let’s keep in touch!
Jacob Rogers / CC-BY-SA 4.0