Submissions:2025/Legal Realities and Editorial Freedom: Understanding Content Challenges Across Jurisdictions
This submission has been noted and is pending review for WikiConference North America 2025.
Title:
- Legal Realities and Editorial Freedom: Understanding Content Challenges Across Jurisdictions
Type of session:
- Lecture (15-30 min)
Session theme(s):
- Credibility, Missing pieces, Future of Wikipedia
Abstract:
This session will explore how legal frameworks across jurisdictions shape Wikimedia project content, focusing on the balance between legal compliance and editorial freedom. As challenges related to freedom of expression, defamation, copyright, and intermediary liability become more complex, it is critical for contributors and affiliates to understand how national laws can limit, protect, or influence Wikimedia content.
A panel of Wikimedia Foundation staff and experienced community members will discuss practical examples of how the Legal Department collaborates with volunteers to navigate these issues, without undermining self-governance or editorial autonomy. Topics will include community-led processes that help avoid or address legal takedown risks, the importance of legal literacy among contributors, and how legal staff provide support to uphold Wikimedia’s decentralized approach.
By adapting material also being developed for Wikimania 2025 to a North American context, this session aims to foster broader awareness and participation among local contributors.
Author name(s):
Wikimedia username(s):
- Blynn-WMF
Affiliated organization(s):
- Committee Support Specialist, Legal
Estimated length of session
- 30mins-60 mins
Will you be presenting remotely?
- I will present in-person
Okay to livestream?
- Livestreaming is okay
Previously presented?
- We plan to adapt content being prepared for Wikimania 2025 for this session.
Special requests:
- Panelist availability may be limited to certain dates. We may also need remote presentation equipment and strong internet connectivity.