[Foundation-l] Re: Formal request: Wikinews project

Wed Oct 13 13:19:01 UTC 2004

I don't have any problem with this as long as legal liabilies are thought
through and we have funding and help available. Although, as I suggested,
you might check out how expensive serious litigation is, especially in the
US and UK.

Fred

> From: Andrew Lih <andrew.lih at gmail.com>
> Reply-To: Andrew Lih <andrew.lih at gmail.com>, Wikimedia Foundation Mailing List
> <foundation-l at wikimedia.org>
> Date: Wed, 13 Oct 2004 16:01:33 +0800
> To: Wikimedia Foundation Mailing List <foundation-l at wikimedia.org>
> Subject: Re: [Foundation-l] Re: Formal request: Wikinews project
> 
> On Wed, 13 Oct 2004 16:27:19 +1000, Tim Starling
> <t.starling at physics.unimelb.edu.au> wrote:
>> I don't understand why Wikinews will have any more exposure to legal
>> liability than Wikipedia. Wikipedia has been threatened with legal
>> action numerous times, for example by Khalid bin Mahfouz. Wikipedia has
>> many biographies of people who are only notable due to recent news
>> coverage, and these biographies typically consist of facts and rumours
>> originally published by the mainstream media.
> 
> Technically, you're right that there is no increase in legal
> liability. However the nature of Wikinews brings about more legal
> situations currently not seen with Wikipedia. If Wikinews engages in
> primary source reporting, then it's possible to have whistleblower or
> leaked information make it into the hands of Wikinews
> editors/reporters, like with the Pentagon Papers or with the Valerie
> Plame identity. This is not too far fetched considering the positive
> reputation Wikipedia has right now. If the US Feds come knocking and
> say, "reveal your source," Wikinews has got to be prepared for that.
> 
>> My point is just that if we decide to avoid Wikinews, it shouldn't be
>> for legal reasons.
> 
> Yes, but Wikinews should have procedures in place and lawyers ready to
> tap on such matters.
> 
> -- 
> Andrew Lih
> andrew.lih at gmail.com
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