Dear Saqib,
If you receive press enquiries, you can ask journalists to email
press@wikimedia.org and our external communications team will provide them
with the relevant information. They don’t usually post statements on
long-running issues like traffic disruptions unless there's more clarity on
what is happening and why.
Thanks,
Benedict Udeh (he/him)
On Fri, Mar 22, 2024 at 12:16?PM Saqib Qayyum <saqibqayyumc@gmail.com>
wrote:
> Dear Mr. Stephen LaPorte
>
> Thank you for commenting.
>
> Recently, I have been in contact with several journalists who have
> expressed their interest in covering this issue and have been attempting to
> reach out to WMF for an official statement. but unfortunately, they have
> reported difficulty in obtaining any response from WMF despite their
> repeated efforts. As a result, they are unable to proceed with their
> stories without an official statement from WMF.
>
> I wanted to inquire if we can expect a statement or a press release from
> WMF explicitly addressing the Commons blockage ? Providing clarity on this
> matter would not only assist journalists in their reporting but also help
> prioritize efforts to unblock the website.
>
> --
> Saqib Qayyum
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Saqib
>
>
> On Thu, Mar 21, 2024 at 10:23?PM Stephen LaPorte <slaporte@wikimedia.org>
> wrote:
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I am Stephen LaPorte, the General Counsel at the Foundation.
>>
>> We have received reports that Wikimedia Commons has been partially
>> inaccessible in Pakistan—depending on the user's Internet Service
>> Provider—for multiple years, starting as early as 2021. My understanding is
>> that it does not affect the display of images on Wikipedia, and it predates
>> the blocking and unblocking
>> <https://wikimediafoundation.org/news/2023/02/03/wikimedia-foundation-urges-pakistan-telecommunications-authority-to-restore-access-to-wikipedia-in-pakistan/>
>> of Wikipedia in February 2023.
>>
>> We have not received any formal notice or a recent legal demand related
>> to Wikimedia Commons, so we do not know on what grounds the site is
>> partially inaccessible or how many people have been affected since this
>> started. Overall, traffic to Wikimedia Commons from Pakistan before 2020 is
>> too low to establish a clear pattern that shows when this started or the
>> extent of the disruption. All these factors have made understanding the
>> situation difficult and require a balanced response, and we remain
>> committed to knowledge access in the country.
>>
>> After Yaroslav reported
>> <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Village_pump/Archive/2023/07#Is_Wikimedia_Commons_blocked_in_Pakistan?>
>> not being able to access the site last year, we investigated further. We've
>> shared information about this situation with other organizations that
>> monitor internet censorship and advocate for internet freedom in Pakistan.
>>
>> We believe that access to knowledge is a human right, and we oppose
>> internet censorship in all forms. We believe that limiting access to
>> projects like Wikimedia Commons deprives people of access to important
>> historical and educational content and makes it more difficult for local
>> volunteers to share their media with the world.
>>
>> If you experience censorship of the Wikimedia projects, you are welcome
>> to report this directly to the Wikimedia Foundation at <
>> answers@wikimedia.org> and we can help route the question to the right
>> technical experts within the Foundation.
>>
>> Best,
>> Stephen
>>
>> On Wed, Mar 20, 2024 at 10:06?AM Yaroslav Blanter <ymbalt@gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> My understanding is that only Commons is currently blocked in Pakistan.
>>>
>>> In July 2023, when I visited, I could (and did) edit Wikipedia and
>>> Wikivoyage in several languages, as well as Wikidata. To be honest I did
>>> not try Urdu Wikipedia, but I guess if it were blocked in Pakistan we would
>>> know this.
>>>
>>> My impression from the communication with WMF I described earlier was
>>> that they learned about the Commons block from me. I might be wrong of
>>> course.
>>>
>>> Best
>>> Yaroslav
>>>
>>> On Wed, Mar 20, 2024 at 5:14?PM Risker <risker.wp@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Could someone please explicitly state which Wikimedia projects are
>>>> blocked in Pakistan? This thread starts around the blocking of Commons,
>>>> but information provided by James Heilman implies that (at least one point)
>>>> ALL Wikimedia projects are blocked. So, to be clear, are Wikipedias also
>>>> blocked? Other projects? Understanding the extent of the block will help
>>>> the broader community to best assist our Pakistani colleagues in continuing
>>>> to contribute, and for helping the broad Pakistani citizenship to access
>>>> our work.
>>>>
>>>> It may be helpful for someone from the WMF who is in a position to
>>>> report to tell us exactly which projects are currently blocked, and whether
>>>> or not any of the originally blocked projects have now had blocks lifted.
>>>>
>>>> Risker/Anne
>>>>
>>>> Risker/Anne
>>>>
>>>> On Wed, 20 Mar 2024 at 11:21, Saqib Qayyum <saqibqayyumc@gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I remember this statement was issued when Wikipedia was briefly
>>>>> blocked last year.
>>>>> --
>>>>> Saqib Qayyum
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Wed, Mar 20, 2024 at 7:54?AM James Heilman <jmh649@gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Here is the press release from Feb 3, 2023 from the WMF urging
>>>>>> Pakistan to unblock Wikimedia Projects.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> https://wikimediafoundation.org/news/2023/02/03/wikimedia-foundation-urges-pakistan-telecommunications-authority-to-restore-access-to-wikipedia-in-pakistan/
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Appears the reason has to do with religious content
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> https://netblocks.org/reports/wikipedia-restricted-in-pakistan-over-alleged-sacrilegious-content-nAg35pAp
>>>>>>
>>>>>> James
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 6:40?PM Neurodivergent Netizen <
>>>>>> idoh.idreamofhorses@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> IP block exemption is already automatically granted to admins, at
>>>>>>> least on the English Wikipedia; it’s rarely needed enough that further
>>>>>>> automatic exemption doesn’t really make sense. VPNs, typically costing
>>>>>>> money, aren’t an accessible workaround, anyways. Let’s redirect attention
>>>>>>> back to getting Commons unblocked.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> From,
>>>>>>> I dream of horses
>>>>>>> She/her
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Mar 19, 2024, at 2:40 PM, Alessandro Marchetti via Wikimedia-l <
>>>>>>> wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> It's intriguing (to me) to contemplate how the notion of restricting
>>>>>>> IP editing in specific circumstances is often viewed as a violation of
>>>>>>> principle, even when supported by examples or data, yet a restriction like
>>>>>>> requiring long-standing users to jump through hoops just to use a VPN for
>>>>>>> privacy—something standard nowadays—is considered necessary and acceptable.
>>>>>>> Both policies aim to address issues while weighing the pros and cons and
>>>>>>> inevitably curbing some degree of freedom.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Personally, I question the efficiency of the VPN restriction. I hold
>>>>>>> a different perspective: implementing a one or two-year, 100-500-edit
>>>>>>> registration threshold for automatic exemption of registered users seems
>>>>>>> reasonable.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Nevertheless, it's important to recognize that nothing is inherently
>>>>>>> necessary; these are always political and not technical choices.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> It's not just vandals ruining it; it's also the approach taken. By
>>>>>>> granting trolls immense power to disrupt everyone's activities, you fuel
>>>>>>> their mischief. Thus, every time these extreme measures are enforced and
>>>>>>> standardized, they inevitably lead to wasted time and endless debates about
>>>>>>> the status quo, and regular users pay a price. Not hypothetically, for
>>>>>>> real.... we know. Whoever prioritizes the pursuit of trolls and vandals
>>>>>>> over the work of regular users, de facto feeds the troll.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> It's important to clarify: as seasoned users, many of us have kinda
>>>>>>> learned to navigate this "mess" and endure it... similar issues
>>>>>>> have been grappled with for years, Commons management shows little sign of
>>>>>>> improvement and we just don't care anymore.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> However, for those who haven't mastered it or are stuck in some
>>>>>>> nationwide quagmire as this one, suggesting VPNs as a solution is
>>>>>>> impractical—unless you anticipate tens of thousands of users from a country
>>>>>>> with millions of inhabitants to individually request IP exemptions. It's
>>>>>>> evident that the log of such a system would not be sustainable.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I remain skeptical that an alternative solution will be implemented,
>>>>>>> given the likelihood that the approach will mirror that of the VPN case or
>>>>>>> other instances—utilizing massive and/or indefinite self-referential strict
>>>>>>> measures that are seldom evaluated on the long term with some metrics.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Il martedì 19 marzo 2024 alle ore 20:24:15 CET, Neurodivergent
>>>>>>> Netizen <idoh.idreamofhorses@gmail.com> ha scritto:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org,
>>>>>>> guidelines at:
>>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
>>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
>>>>>>> Public archives at
>>>>>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/5BTBH6H4PEHX7CCUBYKUDKDXDC3VOAX5/
>>>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>>>>>>> wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org
>>>>>>> Unfortunately, there’s a history of an overwhelming amount of
>>>>>>> vandals using VPNs to, well, vandalize Wikipedia, hence the block on known
>>>>>>> VPN and the bureaucracy surrounding them. If the block is removed, it’ll
>>>>>>> quite likely become a problem again. It really is a situation of people
>>>>>>> behaving poorly ruining it for everyone.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> From,
>>>>>>> I dream of horses
>>>>>>> She/her
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Mar 19, 2024, at 12:17 PM, Alessandro Marchetti via Wikimedia-l <
>>>>>>> wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> That doesn't seem logical or fair. If a user is registered and not
>>>>>>> already blocked, the IPs they are using shouldn't matter at all.
>>>>>>> Personally, I've never used a VPN before I got it this way (even
>>>>>>> living in the PRC), but I understand that some people might need to do so
>>>>>>> for privacy reasons. So, this restriction should be removed. Registered
>>>>>>> users should have the freedom to access the platform how they want. If
>>>>>>> there's an issue with a specific user, it's more appropriate to block their
>>>>>>> username rather than restricting their access when logged in based on IP
>>>>>>> addresses. Adding more bureaucracy isn't the solution if there isn't a
>>>>>>> problem to begin with.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> In any case, nothing will probably change. But please don't say that
>>>>>>> VPN is a solution. People have already enough problems that adding more and
>>>>>>> more passages.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Il martedì 19 marzo 2024 alle ore 19:51:42 CET, Neurodivergent
>>>>>>> Netizen <idoh.idreamofhorses@gmail.com> ha scritto:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> A few years ago, I acquired a VPN as part of an antivirus package.
>>>>>>> However, when I tried to use it for other services, I encountered an
>>>>>>> unexpected issue switching on wiki platforms: despite being there as a
>>>>>>> registered user, I found myself unable to edit them.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> So how can VPN be a solution?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Right, you would’ve had to use IP block exemption, which would
>>>>>>> require some level of trust from the community that you aren’t a vandal or
>>>>>>> other blocked user trying to circumspect said block.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> From,
>>>>>>> I dream of horses
>>>>>>> She/her
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Mar 19, 2024, at 11:23 AM, Alessandro Marchetti via Wikimedia-l <
>>>>>>> wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Why is there so much discussion about using VPNs as a solution? A
>>>>>>> few years ago, I acquired a VPN as part of an antivirus package. However,
>>>>>>> when I tried to use it for other services, I encountered an unexpected
>>>>>>> issue switching on wiki platforms: despite being there as a registered
>>>>>>> user, I found myself unable to edit them.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> So how can VPN be a solution?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> A.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Il martedì 19 marzo 2024 alle ore 18:17:52 CET, Saqib Qayyum <
>>>>>>> saqibqayyumc@gmail.com> ha scritto:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hello Mr James
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Certainly, using a VPN is a workaround, but it's worth noting that
>>>>>>> obtaining an IP block exemption is still necessary to edit Commons, and
>>>>>>> this is not always feasible for all users. Many may not even be aware of
>>>>>>> its existence. For instance, I couldn't edit Commons since October 2020
>>>>>>> until I discovered the option for IP ban exemption. .
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> And because of this, contributions to Commons from Pakistan have
>>>>>>> significantly dwindled. For instance, I recall organizing Wiki Loves
>>>>>>> Monuments Pakistan from 2014, where we used to receive thousands of images
>>>>>>> annually. However, in recent years, the number of uploads has drastically
>>>>>>> declined, with only a maximum of 100 photos being uploaded each year. This
>>>>>>> trend underscores the challenges Pakistani users face in accessing and
>>>>>>> contributing to the site.
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Saqib Qayyum
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:55?PM James Heilman <jmh649@gmail.com>
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Can you not just use a VPN?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> James
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:29?PM Saqib Qayyum <saqibqayyumc@gmail.com>
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I am writing to you as a concerned volunteer from Pakistan regarding
>>>>>>> a critical issue that has been persisting for several years now. Despite
>>>>>>> multiple attempts to communicate this matter to members of the WMF's
>>>>>>> communication team, there has been a disappointing lack of response or
>>>>>>> acknowledgment.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> For the past several years, Commons has been blocked in Pakistan.
>>>>>>> While Wikipedia was briefly blocked last year, the swift response from both
>>>>>>> Pakistani and international news media led to its unblocking. However, the
>>>>>>> blockade of Commons, being a less prominent site in comparison, has gone
>>>>>>> largely unnoticed.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Furthermore, several journalists I have spoken to have also
>>>>>>> expressed frustration over their attempts to reach out to WMF staff
>>>>>>> regarding this issue, only to receive no response.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I urge the WMF to prioritize this matter and take immediate action
>>>>>>> to address the ongoing blockage of Commons in Pakistan.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Saqib Qayyum
>>>>>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Saqib
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org,
>>>>>>> guidelines at:
>>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
>>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
>>>>>>> Public archives at
>>>>>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/H5SMMTKRTUI5QLDKOCLZNWCABGDK3UHL/
>>>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>>>>>>> wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> James Heilman
>>>>>>> MD, CCFP-EM, Wikipedian
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org,
>>>>>>> guidelines at:
>>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
>>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
>>>>>>> Public archives at
>>>>>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/53DBHAHGEAWIH5VI2X7YMEWYSWDHCBXM/
>>>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>>>>>>> wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org,
>>>>>>> guidelines at:
>>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
>>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
>>>>>>> Public archives at
>>>>>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/SPUJHE3YFDHS2OBQT6KTJOFK7WOSGDZF/
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>>>>>>> wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org,
>>>>>>> guidelines at:
>>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
>>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
>>>>>>> Public archives at
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>>>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>>>>>>> wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org,
>>>>>>> guidelines at:
>>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
>>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
>>>>>>> Public archives at
>>>>>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/CMD6ZMRBLVEYSLR7A5OREASGAJPPTB6T/
>>>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>>>>>>> wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org,
>>>>>>> guidelines at:
>>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
>>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
>>>>>>> Public archives at
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>>>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>>>>>>> wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org,
>>>>>>> guidelines at:
>>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
>>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
>>>>>>> Public archives at
>>>>>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/EJI2VJIUIR2NGW7IDPL3GR6DOUQHEG7S/
>>>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>>>>>>> wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org,
>>>>>>> guidelines at:
>>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
>>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
>>>>>>> Public archives at
>>>>>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/DQLOG7SVBJAOXKG67FGAYJOM5MYBXSCG/
>>>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>>>>>>> wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> James Heilman
>>>>>> MD, CCFP-EM, Wikipedian
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org,
>>>>>> guidelines at:
>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
>>>>>> Public archives at
>>>>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/D4SZTUNQ3LKSP7OPLKXXLRSXZMO2YJKB/
>>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org,
>>>>> guidelines at:
>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
>>>>> Public archives at
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>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org,
>>>> guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines
>>>> and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
>>>> Public archives at
>>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/73YAZYWM6MVXM6OWLKKADNAYYQSNACGU/
>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines
>>> at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
>>> Public archives at
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>>> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Stephen LaPorte (he/him/his)
>> General Counsel
>> Wikimedia Foundation
>>
>>
>> *NOTICE: This message may be confidential or legally privileged. If you
>> have received it by accident, please delete it and let us know about the
>> mistake. As an attorney for the Wikimedia Foundation, for legal and ethical
>> reasons, I cannot give legal advice to, or serve as a lawyer for, community
>> members, volunteers, or staff members in their personal capacity. For more
>> on what this means, please see our legal disclaimer
>> <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Legal_Disclaimer>.*
>> _______________________________________________
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>> at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
>> Public archives at
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>> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org
>
> _______________________________________________
> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines
> at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
> Public archives at
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> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org
If you receive press enquiries, you can ask journalists to email
press@wikimedia.org and our external communications team will provide them
with the relevant information. They don’t usually post statements on
long-running issues like traffic disruptions unless there's more clarity on
what is happening and why.
Thanks,
Benedict Udeh (he/him)
On Fri, Mar 22, 2024 at 12:16?PM Saqib Qayyum <saqibqayyumc@gmail.com>
wrote:
> Dear Mr. Stephen LaPorte
>
> Thank you for commenting.
>
> Recently, I have been in contact with several journalists who have
> expressed their interest in covering this issue and have been attempting to
> reach out to WMF for an official statement. but unfortunately, they have
> reported difficulty in obtaining any response from WMF despite their
> repeated efforts. As a result, they are unable to proceed with their
> stories without an official statement from WMF.
>
> I wanted to inquire if we can expect a statement or a press release from
> WMF explicitly addressing the Commons blockage ? Providing clarity on this
> matter would not only assist journalists in their reporting but also help
> prioritize efforts to unblock the website.
>
> --
> Saqib Qayyum
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Saqib
>
>
> On Thu, Mar 21, 2024 at 10:23?PM Stephen LaPorte <slaporte@wikimedia.org>
> wrote:
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I am Stephen LaPorte, the General Counsel at the Foundation.
>>
>> We have received reports that Wikimedia Commons has been partially
>> inaccessible in Pakistan—depending on the user's Internet Service
>> Provider—for multiple years, starting as early as 2021. My understanding is
>> that it does not affect the display of images on Wikipedia, and it predates
>> the blocking and unblocking
>> <https://wikimediafoundation.org/news/2023/02/03/wikimedia-foundation-urges-pakistan-telecommunications-authority-to-restore-access-to-wikipedia-in-pakistan/>
>> of Wikipedia in February 2023.
>>
>> We have not received any formal notice or a recent legal demand related
>> to Wikimedia Commons, so we do not know on what grounds the site is
>> partially inaccessible or how many people have been affected since this
>> started. Overall, traffic to Wikimedia Commons from Pakistan before 2020 is
>> too low to establish a clear pattern that shows when this started or the
>> extent of the disruption. All these factors have made understanding the
>> situation difficult and require a balanced response, and we remain
>> committed to knowledge access in the country.
>>
>> After Yaroslav reported
>> <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Village_pump/Archive/2023/07#Is_Wikimedia_Commons_blocked_in_Pakistan?>
>> not being able to access the site last year, we investigated further. We've
>> shared information about this situation with other organizations that
>> monitor internet censorship and advocate for internet freedom in Pakistan.
>>
>> We believe that access to knowledge is a human right, and we oppose
>> internet censorship in all forms. We believe that limiting access to
>> projects like Wikimedia Commons deprives people of access to important
>> historical and educational content and makes it more difficult for local
>> volunteers to share their media with the world.
>>
>> If you experience censorship of the Wikimedia projects, you are welcome
>> to report this directly to the Wikimedia Foundation at <
>> answers@wikimedia.org> and we can help route the question to the right
>> technical experts within the Foundation.
>>
>> Best,
>> Stephen
>>
>> On Wed, Mar 20, 2024 at 10:06?AM Yaroslav Blanter <ymbalt@gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> My understanding is that only Commons is currently blocked in Pakistan.
>>>
>>> In July 2023, when I visited, I could (and did) edit Wikipedia and
>>> Wikivoyage in several languages, as well as Wikidata. To be honest I did
>>> not try Urdu Wikipedia, but I guess if it were blocked in Pakistan we would
>>> know this.
>>>
>>> My impression from the communication with WMF I described earlier was
>>> that they learned about the Commons block from me. I might be wrong of
>>> course.
>>>
>>> Best
>>> Yaroslav
>>>
>>> On Wed, Mar 20, 2024 at 5:14?PM Risker <risker.wp@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Could someone please explicitly state which Wikimedia projects are
>>>> blocked in Pakistan? This thread starts around the blocking of Commons,
>>>> but information provided by James Heilman implies that (at least one point)
>>>> ALL Wikimedia projects are blocked. So, to be clear, are Wikipedias also
>>>> blocked? Other projects? Understanding the extent of the block will help
>>>> the broader community to best assist our Pakistani colleagues in continuing
>>>> to contribute, and for helping the broad Pakistani citizenship to access
>>>> our work.
>>>>
>>>> It may be helpful for someone from the WMF who is in a position to
>>>> report to tell us exactly which projects are currently blocked, and whether
>>>> or not any of the originally blocked projects have now had blocks lifted.
>>>>
>>>> Risker/Anne
>>>>
>>>> Risker/Anne
>>>>
>>>> On Wed, 20 Mar 2024 at 11:21, Saqib Qayyum <saqibqayyumc@gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I remember this statement was issued when Wikipedia was briefly
>>>>> blocked last year.
>>>>> --
>>>>> Saqib Qayyum
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Wed, Mar 20, 2024 at 7:54?AM James Heilman <jmh649@gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Here is the press release from Feb 3, 2023 from the WMF urging
>>>>>> Pakistan to unblock Wikimedia Projects.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> https://wikimediafoundation.org/news/2023/02/03/wikimedia-foundation-urges-pakistan-telecommunications-authority-to-restore-access-to-wikipedia-in-pakistan/
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Appears the reason has to do with religious content
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> https://netblocks.org/reports/wikipedia-restricted-in-pakistan-over-alleged-sacrilegious-content-nAg35pAp
>>>>>>
>>>>>> James
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 6:40?PM Neurodivergent Netizen <
>>>>>> idoh.idreamofhorses@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> IP block exemption is already automatically granted to admins, at
>>>>>>> least on the English Wikipedia; it’s rarely needed enough that further
>>>>>>> automatic exemption doesn’t really make sense. VPNs, typically costing
>>>>>>> money, aren’t an accessible workaround, anyways. Let’s redirect attention
>>>>>>> back to getting Commons unblocked.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> From,
>>>>>>> I dream of horses
>>>>>>> She/her
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Mar 19, 2024, at 2:40 PM, Alessandro Marchetti via Wikimedia-l <
>>>>>>> wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> It's intriguing (to me) to contemplate how the notion of restricting
>>>>>>> IP editing in specific circumstances is often viewed as a violation of
>>>>>>> principle, even when supported by examples or data, yet a restriction like
>>>>>>> requiring long-standing users to jump through hoops just to use a VPN for
>>>>>>> privacy—something standard nowadays—is considered necessary and acceptable.
>>>>>>> Both policies aim to address issues while weighing the pros and cons and
>>>>>>> inevitably curbing some degree of freedom.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Personally, I question the efficiency of the VPN restriction. I hold
>>>>>>> a different perspective: implementing a one or two-year, 100-500-edit
>>>>>>> registration threshold for automatic exemption of registered users seems
>>>>>>> reasonable.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Nevertheless, it's important to recognize that nothing is inherently
>>>>>>> necessary; these are always political and not technical choices.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> It's not just vandals ruining it; it's also the approach taken. By
>>>>>>> granting trolls immense power to disrupt everyone's activities, you fuel
>>>>>>> their mischief. Thus, every time these extreme measures are enforced and
>>>>>>> standardized, they inevitably lead to wasted time and endless debates about
>>>>>>> the status quo, and regular users pay a price. Not hypothetically, for
>>>>>>> real.... we know. Whoever prioritizes the pursuit of trolls and vandals
>>>>>>> over the work of regular users, de facto feeds the troll.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> It's important to clarify: as seasoned users, many of us have kinda
>>>>>>> learned to navigate this "mess" and endure it... similar issues
>>>>>>> have been grappled with for years, Commons management shows little sign of
>>>>>>> improvement and we just don't care anymore.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> However, for those who haven't mastered it or are stuck in some
>>>>>>> nationwide quagmire as this one, suggesting VPNs as a solution is
>>>>>>> impractical—unless you anticipate tens of thousands of users from a country
>>>>>>> with millions of inhabitants to individually request IP exemptions. It's
>>>>>>> evident that the log of such a system would not be sustainable.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I remain skeptical that an alternative solution will be implemented,
>>>>>>> given the likelihood that the approach will mirror that of the VPN case or
>>>>>>> other instances—utilizing massive and/or indefinite self-referential strict
>>>>>>> measures that are seldom evaluated on the long term with some metrics.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Il martedì 19 marzo 2024 alle ore 20:24:15 CET, Neurodivergent
>>>>>>> Netizen <idoh.idreamofhorses@gmail.com> ha scritto:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org,
>>>>>>> guidelines at:
>>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
>>>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
>>>>>>> Public archives at
>>>>>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/5BTBH6H4PEHX7CCUBYKUDKDXDC3VOAX5/
>>>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>>>>>>> wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org
>>>>>>> Unfortunately, there’s a history of an overwhelming amount of
>>>>>>> vandals using VPNs to, well, vandalize Wikipedia, hence the block on known
>>>>>>> VPN and the bureaucracy surrounding them. If the block is removed, it’ll
>>>>>>> quite likely become a problem again. It really is a situation of people
>>>>>>> behaving poorly ruining it for everyone.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> From,
>>>>>>> I dream of horses
>>>>>>> She/her
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Mar 19, 2024, at 12:17 PM, Alessandro Marchetti via Wikimedia-l <
>>>>>>> wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> That doesn't seem logical or fair. If a user is registered and not
>>>>>>> already blocked, the IPs they are using shouldn't matter at all.
>>>>>>> Personally, I've never used a VPN before I got it this way (even
>>>>>>> living in the PRC), but I understand that some people might need to do so
>>>>>>> for privacy reasons. So, this restriction should be removed. Registered
>>>>>>> users should have the freedom to access the platform how they want. If
>>>>>>> there's an issue with a specific user, it's more appropriate to block their
>>>>>>> username rather than restricting their access when logged in based on IP
>>>>>>> addresses. Adding more bureaucracy isn't the solution if there isn't a
>>>>>>> problem to begin with.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> In any case, nothing will probably change. But please don't say that
>>>>>>> VPN is a solution. People have already enough problems that adding more and
>>>>>>> more passages.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Il martedì 19 marzo 2024 alle ore 19:51:42 CET, Neurodivergent
>>>>>>> Netizen <idoh.idreamofhorses@gmail.com> ha scritto:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> A few years ago, I acquired a VPN as part of an antivirus package.
>>>>>>> However, when I tried to use it for other services, I encountered an
>>>>>>> unexpected issue switching on wiki platforms: despite being there as a
>>>>>>> registered user, I found myself unable to edit them.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> So how can VPN be a solution?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Right, you would’ve had to use IP block exemption, which would
>>>>>>> require some level of trust from the community that you aren’t a vandal or
>>>>>>> other blocked user trying to circumspect said block.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> From,
>>>>>>> I dream of horses
>>>>>>> She/her
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Mar 19, 2024, at 11:23 AM, Alessandro Marchetti via Wikimedia-l <
>>>>>>> wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Why is there so much discussion about using VPNs as a solution? A
>>>>>>> few years ago, I acquired a VPN as part of an antivirus package. However,
>>>>>>> when I tried to use it for other services, I encountered an unexpected
>>>>>>> issue switching on wiki platforms: despite being there as a registered
>>>>>>> user, I found myself unable to edit them.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> So how can VPN be a solution?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> A.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Il martedì 19 marzo 2024 alle ore 18:17:52 CET, Saqib Qayyum <
>>>>>>> saqibqayyumc@gmail.com> ha scritto:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hello Mr James
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Certainly, using a VPN is a workaround, but it's worth noting that
>>>>>>> obtaining an IP block exemption is still necessary to edit Commons, and
>>>>>>> this is not always feasible for all users. Many may not even be aware of
>>>>>>> its existence. For instance, I couldn't edit Commons since October 2020
>>>>>>> until I discovered the option for IP ban exemption. .
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> And because of this, contributions to Commons from Pakistan have
>>>>>>> significantly dwindled. For instance, I recall organizing Wiki Loves
>>>>>>> Monuments Pakistan from 2014, where we used to receive thousands of images
>>>>>>> annually. However, in recent years, the number of uploads has drastically
>>>>>>> declined, with only a maximum of 100 photos being uploaded each year. This
>>>>>>> trend underscores the challenges Pakistani users face in accessing and
>>>>>>> contributing to the site.
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Saqib Qayyum
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:55?PM James Heilman <jmh649@gmail.com>
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Can you not just use a VPN?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> James
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:29?PM Saqib Qayyum <saqibqayyumc@gmail.com>
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I am writing to you as a concerned volunteer from Pakistan regarding
>>>>>>> a critical issue that has been persisting for several years now. Despite
>>>>>>> multiple attempts to communicate this matter to members of the WMF's
>>>>>>> communication team, there has been a disappointing lack of response or
>>>>>>> acknowledgment.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> For the past several years, Commons has been blocked in Pakistan.
>>>>>>> While Wikipedia was briefly blocked last year, the swift response from both
>>>>>>> Pakistani and international news media led to its unblocking. However, the
>>>>>>> blockade of Commons, being a less prominent site in comparison, has gone
>>>>>>> largely unnoticed.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Furthermore, several journalists I have spoken to have also
>>>>>>> expressed frustration over their attempts to reach out to WMF staff
>>>>>>> regarding this issue, only to receive no response.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I urge the WMF to prioritize this matter and take immediate action
>>>>>>> to address the ongoing blockage of Commons in Pakistan.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Saqib Qayyum
>>>>>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Saqib
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org,
>>>>>>> guidelines at:
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>>>>>>> Public archives at
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>>>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>>>>>>> wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> James Heilman
>>>>>>> MD, CCFP-EM, Wikipedian
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> James Heilman
>>>>>> MD, CCFP-EM, Wikipedian
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
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>>>>
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>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Stephen LaPorte (he/him/his)
>> General Counsel
>> Wikimedia Foundation
>>
>>
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