 | Context and background information regarding this letter may be found in this Signpost article and this BBC article, as well as in discussions on this project page. |
The English Wikipedia community has been following recent events in the Asian News International vs. Wikimedia Foundation legal case with trepidation. In a world where many players would like to control the content of Wikipedia articles, we consider that protecting editor anonymity is essential to maintaining an encyclopedia that is comprehensive, reliable and neutral. Our millions of volunteer contributors look to the Foundation to defend them against powerful external entities as they go about their work, sifting and balancing what the existing published sources write about the topic.
In the light of this, we, the undersigned, are profoundly concerned at the suggestion that the Foundation is considering disclosing identifying private information about volunteer editors to the Delhi High Court. We appreciate the complexities of international legal disputes over release of such information, and commend the Foundation for routinely resisting disclosure and for assisting editors who find themselves in legal jeopardy. Nevertheless, we call upon the Foundation to prioritize the safety and well being of volunteers, even if it comes with a risk of legal action against the Foundation, or other costs. Any other action risks having a chilling effect on the work of volunteers across the project, and only makes it more likely that such pressure will be exerted in future. In short, it jeopardizes the future of our shared project.