Thanks for the update This is a good stand to take, seeing that our vision and mission demands it of us.
*Dumisani Ndubane* Monitoring & Evaluation Strategist Wikimedia Foundation ✆ | +27 74 587 8616 ✉ | dndub...@wikimedia.org <dndub...@wikimedia.org> https://donate.wikimedia.org/ *"Imagine a world in which every single human being can freely share in the sum of all knowledge."* On Tue, Jan 30, 2018 at 3:54 PM, Nadine Le Lirzin <nlelir...@wikimedia.fr> wrote: > Thank you, Katherine. At once for such a precise update and for going > ahead. > Also many thanks to all who dedicate time and work to this case. > > Nadine Le Lirzin > Wikimédia France > > > On Tue, 30 Jan 2018 at 01:42, Philippe Beaudette <phili...@beaudette.me> > wrote: > > > Great update, thank you. > > > > On Mon, Jan 29, 2018 at 4:14 PM, Katherine Maher <kma...@wikimedia.org> > > wrote: > > > > > Hi all, > > > > > > I’d like to share an update and next steps in our lawsuit against the > > U.S. > > > National Security Agency (NSA), Wikimedia Foundation v. NSA.[1] As > you’ll > > > recall, in March 2015, the Wikimedia Foundation joined eight other > > > plaintiffs in filing a suit in United States Federal District Court > > against > > > the NSA[2] and the Department of Justice,[3] among others. We have been > > > represented pro bono[4] by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)[5] > > and > > > the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University.[6] The law > > > firm Cooley LLP[7] has also been serving as pro bono co-counsel for the > > > Foundation. > > > > > > Since we’re coming on the three-year anniversary, I wanted to offer a > > > reminder of why we filed this suit. Our challenge supports the > > foundational > > > values of our movement: the right to freedom of expression and access > to > > > information. Free knowledge requires freedom of inquiry, particularly > in > > > the case of challenging and unpopular truths. Each day people around > the > > > world engage with difficult and controversial subjects on Wikipedia and > > > other Wikimedia projects. Pervasive mass surveillance brings the threat > > of > > > reprisal, creates a chilling effect, and undermines the freedoms upon > > which > > > our projects and communities are founded. In bringing this suit, we > > joined > > > a tradition of knowledge stewards who have fought to preserve the > > integrity > > > of intellectual inquiry. > > > > > > Our lawsuit challenges dragnet surveillance by the NSA, specifically > the > > > large-scale seizing and searching of Internet communications frequently > > > referred to as “Upstream” surveillance.[8] The U.S. government is > tapping > > > directly into the internet’s “backbone”[9]—the network of high-capacity > > > cables, switches, and routers that carry domestic and international > > > communications—and seizing and searching virtually all text-based > > internet > > > communications flowing into and out of the United States. It’s this > > > backbone that connects the global Wikimedia community to our projects. > > > These communications are being seized and searched without any > > requirement > > > that there be suspicion, for example, that the communications have a > > > connection to terrorism or national security threats. > > > > > > Last May, we reached an important milestone: a Federal Court of > > Appeals[10] > > > in the United States ruled[11] that the Foundation alone had plausibly > > > alleged “standing”[12] to proceed with our claims that Upstream mass > > > surveillance seizes and searches of the online communications of > > Wikimedia > > > users, contributors and Foundation staff in violation of the U.S. > > > Constitution and other laws. The Court of Appeals’ ruling means that we > > are > > > the sole remaining plaintiff among the nine original co-plaintiffs. > There > > > is still a long road ahead, but this intermediate victory makes this > case > > > one of the most important vehicles for challenging the legality of this > > > particular NSA surveillance practice. > > > > > > As a result of our win in the appellate court, we are now proceeding to > > the > > > next stage of the case: discovery.[13] In the U.S. court system, > parties > > > use the discovery stage to exchange evidence and ask each other > questions > > > about their claims. We have requested information and documents from > the > > > government, and they have made similar requests from us. The entire > > phase, > > > which will also involve research and reports from experts, is expected > to > > > last the next few months. > > > > > > As part of our commitment to privacy, I want you to know about what > this > > > stage of the case means for our data retention practices. Our goal in > > > bringing this lawsuit was to protect user information. In this case, > like > > > other litigation in which we engage, we may sometimes be legally > required > > > to preserve some information longer than the standard 90-day period in > > our > > > data retention guidelines. These special cases are acknowledged and > > > permitted by our privacy and data retention policies.[14] > > > > > > As always, however, we remain committed to keeping user data no longer > > than > > > legally necessary. We never publish the exact details of > > litigation-related > > > data retention, as part of our legal strategy to keep personal data > safe. > > > And we defend any personal data from disclosure to the maximum extent, > > > taking both legal and technical measures to do so. We are keeping > > sensitive > > > material encrypted and offline, and we have the support of the > > experienced > > > legal teams at the ACLU and Cooley in ensuring its safety and > integrity. > > > Wikimedia Foundation v. NSA is currently one of the only freedom of > > > expression and access to knowledge cases being prosecuted against > > > government surveillance overreach. Unfortunately, the recent extension > of > > > these surveillance practices by the U.S. Congress[15] demonstrates that > > the > > > courts may well be the only venue to stop or restrict these practices. > > > > > > The nature of litigation means that we will not always be able to > discuss > > > certain details of any case in public. For example, deliberations about > > > tactical or strategic decisions will need to remain confidential in > order > > > to preserve the attorney-client privilege.[16] In such situations, > > > particularly in a sensitive and important case like this, we are always > > > balancing the need for confidentiality with our commitment to > > transparency. > > > So while some information will not be public, we want to be available > to > > > address your questions, should you have any. Please direct them to Greg > > > Varnum gvar...@wikimedia.org, who can help provide answers. > > > > > > We will continue keeping you updated on our progress and anything that > > > might affect our communities and visitors to the Wikimedia sites.[17] > > > > > > I would like to thank Tilman Bayer, Nuria Ruiz, Faidon Liambotis, > Andrew > > > Otto, James Alexander, Brandon Black, Byron Bogaert, Dan Foy, Grace > > > Gellerman, Aeryn Palmer and Jim Buatti for their extensive dedication > to > > > this case. And thanks to the C-levels supporting this work, Eileen > > > Hershenov, Victoria Coleman, and Toby Negrin. > > > > > > Yours, > > > Katherine > > > > > > [1] > > https://blog.wikimedia.org/2017/06/23/wikimedia-v-nsa-present-future/ > > > [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Security_Agency > > > [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Justice > > > [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pro_bono > > > [5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_Liberties_Union > > > [6] https://knightcolumbia.org/ > > > [7] https://www.cooley.com/ > > > [8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upstream_collection > > > [9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_backbone > > > [10] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_courts_of_appeals > > > [11] > > https://blog.wikimedia.org/2017/05/23/wikimedia-nsa-appeal-standing/ > > > [12] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standing_(law) > > > [13] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discovery_(law) > > > [14] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Data_retention_guidelines > > > [15] > > > https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-cyber- > > > > > surveillance/trump-signs-bill-renewing-nsas-internet- > surveillance-program- > > > idUSKBN1F82MK > > > > > > [16] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attorney%E2%80%93client_privilege > > > [17] https://policy.wikimedia.org/stopsurveillance/ > > > > > > *Previous updates for your review:* > > > > > > June 23 2017 > > > https://blog.wikimedia.org/2017/06/23/wikimedia-v-nsa-present-future/ > > > June 16 2017 > > > https://blog.wikimedia.org/2017/06/16/fake-news-nsa-lawsuit-yale/ > > > May 23 2017 > > > https://blog.wikimedia.org/2017/05/23/wikimedia-nsa-appeal-standing/ > > > December 9 2016 > > > https://blog.wikimedia.org/2016/12/09/wikimedia-v-nsa- > > > hearing-fourth-circuit/ > > > October 17 2016 > > > https://blog.wikimedia.org/2016/10/17/wikimedia-v-nsa-appeal-hearing/ > > > May 9 2016 https://blog.wikimedia.org/2016/05/09/wikimedia-nsa-appeal/ > > > April 11 2016 > > > https://blog.wikimedia.org/2016/04/11/new-resource-wikimedia-nsa/ > > > February 17 2016 > > > https://blog.wikimedia.org/2016/02/17/wikimedia-nsa-appeal-filed/ > > > December 15 2015 > > > https://blog.wikimedia.org/2015/12/15/wikimedia-nsa-notice-of-appeal/ > > > October 23 2015 > > > https://blog.wikimedia.org/2015/10/23/wikimedia-v-nsa- > lawsuit-dismissal/ > > > September 28 2015 > > > https://blog.wikimedia.org/2015/09/28/wikimedia-nsa-first-hearing/ > > > September 4 2015 > > > https://blog.wikimedia.org/2015/09/04/motion-to-dismiss- > wikimedia-v-nsa/ > > > March 10 2015 https://blog.wikimedia.org/2015/03/10/wikimedia-v-nsa/ > > > > > > -- > > > Katherine Maher > > > > > > Executive Director > > > Wikimedia Foundation > > > > > > 1 Montgomery Street, Suite 1600 > > > San Francisco, CA 94104 > > > > > > +1 (415) 839-6885 ext. 6635 > > > +1 (415) 712 4873 > > > kma...@wikimedia.org > > > https://annual.wikimedia.org > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > > > wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > > > wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > > > Philippe Beaudette > > > > phili...@beaudette.me > > 415-275-1424 > > 415-889-9614 > > _______________________________________________ > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > wiki/Wikimedia-l > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe>
