[Foundation-l] Wikinews is giving out press credentials

Fri Nov 11 17:54:29 UTC 2005

On 11/11/05, Daniel Mayer <maveric149 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> --- Anthony DiPierro <wikilegal at inbox.org> wrote:
> > > That is a very good point. The policy needs to be rewritten to say that the
> > > foundation is not accrediting the individuals, it is just giving those
> > > individuals who have gone through a community-run and board-approved
> > process
> > > permission to use the Wikinews name and logo on press badges.
> >
> > But you don't need permission to use the Wikinews name and logo on press
> > badges.
>
> What? That needs a good deal of explanation. How could somebody legally and/or
> morally be able to do that? I just can't use the name and logo of any
> organization I may volunteer for or give money to on badges meant to gain
> access.
>
You might have a hard time getting the badge in the first place, but
that's something you need the permission of the entity issuing the
badge for, not the permission of the organization whose name happens
to be printed on the badge.

> > Wikimedia and indeed the reporter emself rarely have any control over
> > what is printed on a press badge in the first place.
>
> Community created policy will say what will be on the badges.
>
Community created policy can say whatever it wants to say.  The entity
issuing the badge is going to decide what will be on the badge.

> > And your position is that someone needs the permission of the board in
> > order to call themselves a "community approved Wikinews reporter"?
> > That's completely out of touch with reality.
>
> That is a absurd mischaracterization of what I'm advocating. The community
> controls who can validly say that. What the community does not control is the
> use of the Wikinews name and logo in a way that may get the foundation in
> trouble.
>
> -- mav

No one controls who has the right to make a such a perfectly valid
statement.  With the logo maybe you're entering grey area, but most
press badges don't have the logo of the news organization on them
anyway.