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...@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 <saqibqayy...@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 <jmh...@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.idreamofhor...@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.idreamofhor...@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-le...@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.idreamofhor...@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 < >>>> saqibqayy...@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 <jmh...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Can you not just use a VPN? >>>> >>>> James >>>> >>>> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:29 PM Saqib Qayyum <saqibqayy...@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-le...@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-le...@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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https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/EJI2VJIUIR2NGW7IDPL3GR6DOUQHEG7S/ >>>> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-le...@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-le...@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 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