Legal:Wikimedia Foundation Policy and Political Association Guideline/es

Preguntas frecuentes

¿Por qué estás escribiendo esta directriz ahora?

Desde el apagón de SOPA, hemos recibido varias solicitudes de afiliaciones públicas en relación con cuestiones políticas. La Fundación Wikimedia no es una organización política, pero reconocemos que puede haber ocasiones en que tales asociaciones deben ser consideradas. Para asegurarnos de que las partes adecuadas están involucradas en esa circunstancia, hemos creado una directriz interna para aclarar cuándo y cómo la Fundación Wikimedia se asocia públicamente en política y cuestiones políticas.

¿Para quién es esta directriz?

Esta directriz es para uso interno de la Fundación Wikimedia. Porque entendemos que cualquier afiliación política o política probablemente será de interés para la comunidad, estamos compartiendo abiertamente estas políticas.

¿Es esta la versión final?

Sí y no. Esta directriz es definitiva en el sentido de que no es un trabajo en curso. Sin embargo, la modificaremos, corregiremos y actualizaremos a medida que evolucionen nuestras necesidades y conocimientos. Las ideas expuestas en la página de discusión de la directriz se tendrán en cuenta para futuras actualizaciones.

¿Esta directriz es vinculante?

No. Aunque pretendemos que esta directriz sea nuestro procedimiento operativo normal, la Fundación Wikimedia se reserva el derecho de tomar las mejores medidas según lo requieran las circunstancias. Esta directriz no es un contrato ni una política vinculante.

Introducción

Esta directriz aborda cuándo y cómo la Fundación Wikimedia ("WMF") debe asociarse públicamente en cuestiones políticas y de política coherentes con su misión. Los asuntos políticos incluyen el apoyo público a favor o en contra de leyes propuestas y acciones ejecutivas, el respaldo en línea a iniciativas políticas y las asociaciones con organizaciones para promover posiciones políticas compartidas. Esta directriz cubre las solicitudes y acciones de la WMF; no aborda las respuestas e iniciativas de la comunidad independiente en respuesta a cuestiones políticas.

El papel del personal del WMF variará según las circunstancias específicas de cada caso, pero el personal debe deferirse al consenso establecido de la comunidad sujeto a las restricciones legales, financieras y reglamentarias; las limitaciones de los recursos de personal disponibles; y la necesidad de centrarse en los planes anuales y estratégicos del WMF aprobados por el Consejo de Administración.

Política y asociaciones políticas

This guideline addresses seven types of policy and political associations, including (1) a limited position letter, (2) public endorsement or critique, (3) limited trademark endorsement, (4) collaborative advocacy, (5) promotional use of website assets, (6) movement partnership, and (7) monetary support. Each is described below along with its associated standard of review and notification relating to staff, community, and the Board of Trustees ("Board").

Limited position letter

We sign a limited letter that supports an advocacy position that has been discussed with the community.

• Example: Joining a letter from the Digital Due Process coalition on Electronic Communications Privacy Act reform, after a general consultation on the issue.

Revisión y Aprobación

• Staff: General Counsel (approval), Chief of Finance and Administration (approval), and Chief Communications Officer (consultation)
• Community: Public Policy Advisory Group (consultation on letter or general position) and general notice (optionally, if appropriate)
• Board: No review required

Public Endorsement or Critique

We inform our community about a policy or political issue or highlight another organization's work to support or criticize a policy or political cause.

• Example: Blogging to highlight the work of the Center for Democracy and Policy in support of the rights of online editors.
• Example: Summarizing on-wiki the weaknesses of a legislative bill affecting open source licensing.

Revisión y Aprobación

• Staff: General Counsel (approval) and Chief Communications Officer (consultation)
• Community: General notice
• Board: No review required

Limited Trademark Endorsement

We permit another organization to use our name and trademarks in a limited way to promote a policy or political cause.

• Example: Permitting Creative Commons to use our name and logo in a list of like-minded groups asking the Italian parliament to promote free licenses.
• Example: Allowing Public Knowledge to issue a press release highlighting our support of their program to promote remedial orphan works legislation.

Revisión y Aprobación

• Staff: General Counsel (approval), Chief of Finance and Administration (CFA) (approval), Chief Communications Officer (consultation), and Executive Director (approval)
• Community: Public Policy Advisory Group (consultation), RfC (consultation if time permits), and General notice
• Board: No review required

Note: A trademark license agreement will be required.

Collaborative Advocacy

We collaborate with another organization to take action on a particular policy or political question.

• Example: Signing a petition started by the Electronic Frontier Foundation against Internet censorship.

Revisión y Aprobación

• Staff: General Counsel (approval), CFA (approval), Chief Communications Officer (consultation), and Executive Director (approval)
• Community: Public Policy Advisory Group (consultation), RfC (consultation if time permits), and General notice
• Board: Possible consultation

Promotional Use of Website Assets

We (at WMF) employ Wikimedia website assets - such as banner space or a site black-out - to promote a policy or political cause.

• Example: Creation of a banner to ask users to defeat SOPA II.

Revisión y Aprobación

• Staff: General Counsel (approval), CFA (approval), Chief Communications Officer (consultation), Head of Technology (approval), and Executive Director (approval)
• Community: Public Policy Advisory Group (consultation), RfC (consensus), and General notice
• Board: Consultation

Movement Partnership

We promote a like-minded organization as a WMF "movement partner" because of a shared political or policy cause.

• Example: Public listing of an organization as a "movement partner" such as Creative Commons because of its political support for free licensing.

Revisión y Aprobación

• Staff: General Counsel (approval), CFA (approval), Chief Communications Officer (consultation), and Executive Director (approval)
• Community: Public Policy Advisory Group (consultation), and RfC (consultation and possible consensus)
• Board: Approval required

Note: The creation of movement partners is pursuant to Board resolution, so recognition is subject to the terms and conditions defined by movement roles.

Soporte monetario

All requests for monetary support of policy and political associations should go through the Wikimedia Grants Program. (No requests should go through the FDC process.)

Revisión y Aprobación

• Staff: General Counsel (approval), CFA (approval), Executive Director (approval), Chief Communications Officer (consultation), and grant staff (approval)
• Community: Grant Advisory Committee, Public Policy Advisory Group (consultation), community review and comments on grant requests
• Board: Possible consultation

Revisión y notificación

As set out above in Policy and Political Associations, all policy and political association requests must undergo some level of consultation, notice, review, or approval by the staff, the community, or the Board. This section describes in more detail such involvement.

Staff Review

Approval of a policy association requires WMF staff review and approval:

General Counsel

The General Counsel should approve all types of association.

Chief Communications Officer

The Chief Communications Officer should be consulted in all types of association.

Chief of Finance and Administration (CFA)

The CFA should approve any policy association potentially involving political and legislative activities (as explained below).

Other Staff

Other staff may be consulted depending on the proposed policy and political association. For example, the use of web banners would require approval from the Heads of Fundraising and Technology.

Executive Director

The Executive Director may be required to provide final approval depending on the proposed policy and political association.

Community Notification or Review

As listed above, different types of policy associations may need different types of community notification or involvement, such as:

General notice

The Community is notified about the policy association after a decision is made (through such channels as WikimediaAnnounce-L or Wikimedia-L).

Public Policy Advisory Group

Before a decision, the Wikimedia Foundation consults with the Public Policy Advisory Group for feedback and possible consensus. The Public Policy Advisory Group is a community group - managed by the Legal Department - interested in policy and legislative issues and Wikimedia’s role in such issues.

Request for Comment (RfC)

Before a decision, an RfC is posted regarding the policy association, either for consultation or consensus.

Board of Trustees Review

As listed above, certain policy associations may require different levels of Board involvement, such as:

No Board involvement

Board consultation

The Executive Director and General Counsel informally consult the Board for advice regarding the policy association before implementation.

Board approval

The Executive Director and General Counsel submit the proposed association for approval by a vote of the Board.

Scope of Endorsement

The Wikimedia Mission

Policy and political associations should protect and advance Wikimedia’s mission "to empower and engage people around the world to collect and develop educational content under a free license or in the public domain, and to disseminate it effectively and globally." Accordingly, we will not support causes unrelated to or inconsistent with that mission. For example, no support should be given to:

• environmental issues;
• animal rights;
• anti-globalization;
• anti-war activism;
• religious activities; or
• political parties.

Political and Legislative Activities

At times, we must act or associate to oppose mission-threatening legislation. As a non-profit organization, our ability to participate in certain political and legislative activities is limited by IRS regulations.

Political Activities

• We cannot participate in political campaigns.
  • No showing of bias or preference for or against a candidate for office is permissible.
  • No contributions to political campaign funds are allowed.

Legislative Activities (Lobbying)

• At the federal level, there are serious restrictions on lobbying, including "direct" and "grassroots" efforts:
  • Direct lobbying consists of "attempts to influence a legislative body through communication with a member or employee of a legislative body, or with a government official who participates in formulating legislation."
  • Grassroots lobbying consists of "attempts to influence legislation by attempting to affect the opinion of the public with respect to the legislation and encouraging the audience to take action with respect to the legislation. In either case, the communications must refer to and reflect a view on the legislation."
• There may be different restrictions for policy or legislative advocacy at the state level. Please consult the General Counsel.
• There may be laws on lobbying registration both at the federal and state level. Please consult the General Counsel.
• There are serious financial and other restrictions on legislative or lobbying activities. For that reason, approval by the General Counsel and the CFA is required.