[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[neurokitty via Wikimedia-l]

Before building on top of this, I wanna shortly appreciate the resilience of 
the Pakistani community, who made it to the 21st position of the WLM 2023 
international winner list despite these challenges and lack of support.

So, where do we stand now?
Two takeaways from Stephen's statement:

- foundation vaguely understands the situation in Pakistan
- for support, Pakistani wikimedia folks need to email another foundation team, 
Benedict added another new email address to the list. I hope other people have 
also something to add to the list. We will have a beautiful long list at the 
end and we may need crm solutions to keep track of all the communication.

Gratitude to to Mr. Stephen LaPorte for taking the time to give the statement, 
we are now confident that our emails to are read by the foundation employees if 
not answered. Would you kindly forward this mail to the relevant foundation 
team directly and get back to us with the respond?

Please answer to the following questions precisely, filtering corporate 
buzzwords and unnecessary fleshing out of the message.

- Is responding to any wikimedia foundation hosted project's block in a country 
included in the foundation's scope? If no, this thread is done.
- If yes, to what extent? what is the specific workflow for that? What specific 
actions are expected from the community and the foundation in that process?
- Why do we keep being referred from one foundation team to another when no one 
bothers to reply at all?

Regards,
WikiInsaf
Insaf jarur milegi

On Thursday, March 21st, 2024 at 11:22 PM, Stephen LaPorte 
 wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I am Stephen LaPorte, the General Counsel at the Foundation.
>
> We have received reports that Wikimedia Commons has been partially 
> inaccessible in Pakistan—depending on the user's Internet Service 
> Provider—for multiple years, starting as early as 2021. My understanding is 
> that it does not affect the display of images on Wikipedia, and it predates 
> the [blocking and 
> unblocking](https://wikimediafoundation.org/news/2023/02/03/wikimedia-foundation-urges-pakistan-telecommunications-authority-to-restore-access-to-wikipedia-in-pakistan/)
>  of Wikipedia in February 2023.
>
> We have not received any formal notice or a recent legal demand related to 
> Wikimedia Commons, so we do not know on what grounds the site is partially 
> inaccessible or how many people have been affected since this started. 
> Overall, traffic to Wikimedia Commons from Pakistan before 2020 is too low to 
> establish a clear pattern that shows when this started or the extent of the 
> disruption. All these factors have made understanding the situation difficult 
> and require a balanced response, and we remain committed to knowledge access 
> in the country.
>
> After [Yaroslav 
> reported](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Village_pump/Archive/2023/07#Is_Wikimedia_Commons_blocked_in_Pakistan?)
>  not being able to access the site last year, we investigated further. We've 
> shared information about this situation with other organizations that monitor 
> internet censorship and advocate for internet freedom in Pakistan.
>
> We believe that access to knowledge is a human right, and we oppose internet 
> censorship in all forms. We believe that limiting access to projects like 
> Wikimedia Commons deprives people of access to important historical and 
> educational content and makes it more difficult for local volunteers to share 
> their media with the world.
>
> If you experience censorship of the Wikimedia projects, you are welcome to 
> report this directly to the Wikimedia Foundation at  
> and we can help route the question to the right technical experts within the 
> Foundation.
>
> Best,
> Stephen
>
> On Wed, Mar 20, 2024 at 10:06 AM Yaroslav Blanter  wrote:
>
>> 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  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 

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Kimmo Virtanen]

Sysops can set an IP block exempt group for other users (including
themselves) in their local wiki. The procedure is different in different
wikis, but for example, in Finnish Wikipedia, you need to ask for it, and
the admin will add you to the group if you have a reasonable reason, such
as the user is using a VPN. Basically, everybody who has been asking for
the IP block exempt flag is using it well.

However, VPNs are also commonly used to avoid blocking and masking
problematic behavior patterns, including editing warring, ignoring other
users, causing personal attacks, and hounding. So, it is not only about
protecting the editor using a VPN but also about protecting other users
from unsuitable behavior made through VPNs.

Br,
-- Kimmo Virtanen, Zache




On Sun, Mar 24, 2024 at 2:39 PM Valerio Bozzolan via Wikimedia-l <
wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org> wrote:

> Unfortunately a VPN is not a solution at the moment.
>
> Because of interesting historical reasons, people using VPN or other
> "open proxies" cannot edit most Wikimedia projects, as default
>
> - even if they are logged-in
> - even if they are autopatrolled
> - even if they are sysop (!)
> - ecc.
>
> This is an interesting "feature" that will never change without RFC.
>
> So no, unfortunately we are not ready to suggest a VPN since it does
> not immediately work, so you cannot immediately quit censorship or
> similar things, at least without additional on-wiki bureaucratic
> procedure.
>
> https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T309328
>
> Not something I would propose to an entire nation, at the moment.
>
> I also have no other ideas...
>
> -boz
>
> On Tue, 2024-03-19 at 22:03 +0530, James Heilman wrote:
> > Can you not just use a VPN?
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[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Valerio Bozzolan via Wikimedia-l]

Unfortunately a VPN is not a solution at the moment.

Because of interesting historical reasons, people using VPN or other
"open proxies" cannot edit most Wikimedia projects, as default

- even if they are logged-in
- even if they are autopatrolled
- even if they are sysop (!)
- ecc.

This is an interesting "feature" that will never change without RFC.

So no, unfortunately we are not ready to suggest a VPN since it does
not immediately work, so you cannot immediately quit censorship or
similar things, at least without additional on-wiki bureaucratic
procedure.

https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T309328

Not something I would propose to an entire nation, at the moment.

I also have no other ideas...

-boz

On Tue, 2024-03-19 at 22:03 +0530, James Heilman wrote:
> Can you not just use a VPN?
___
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https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
Public archives at 
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To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-le...@lists.wikimedia.org

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Benedict Udeh]

Dear Saqib,

If you receive press enquiries, you can ask journalists to email
pr...@wikimedia.org and our external communications team will provide them
with the relevant information. They don’t usually post statements on
long-running issues like traffic disruptions unless there's more clarity on
what is happening and why.

Thanks,

Benedict Udeh (he/him)

On Fri, Mar 22, 2024 at 12:16 PM Saqib Qayyum 
wrote:

> Dear Mr. Stephen LaPorte
>
> Thank you for commenting.
>
> Recently, I have been in contact with several journalists who have
> expressed their interest in covering this issue and have been attempting to
> reach out to WMF for an official statement. but unfortunately, they have
> reported difficulty in obtaining any response from WMF despite their
> repeated efforts. As a result, they are unable to proceed with their
> stories without an official statement from WMF.
>
> I wanted to inquire if we can expect a statement or a press release from
> WMF explicitly addressing the Commons blockage ? Providing clarity on this
> matter would not only assist journalists in their reporting but also help
> prioritize efforts to unblock the website.
>
> --
> Saqib Qayyum
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Saqib
>
>
> On Thu, Mar 21, 2024 at 10:23 PM Stephen LaPorte 
> wrote:
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I am Stephen LaPorte, the General Counsel at the Foundation.
>>
>> We have received reports that Wikimedia Commons has been partially
>> inaccessible in Pakistan—depending on the user's Internet Service
>> Provider—for multiple years, starting as early as 2021. My understanding is
>> that it does not affect the display of images on Wikipedia, and it predates
>> the blocking and unblocking
>> 
>> of Wikipedia in February 2023.
>>
>> We have not received any formal notice or a recent legal demand related
>> to Wikimedia Commons, so we do not know on what grounds the site is
>> partially inaccessible or how many people have been affected since this
>> started. Overall, traffic to Wikimedia Commons from Pakistan before 2020 is
>> too low to establish a clear pattern that shows when this started or the
>> extent of the disruption. All these factors have made understanding the
>> situation difficult and require a balanced response, and we remain
>> committed to knowledge access in the country.
>>
>> After Yaroslav reported
>> 
>> not being able to access the site last year, we investigated further. We've
>> shared information about this situation with other organizations that
>> monitor internet censorship and advocate for internet freedom in Pakistan.
>>
>> We believe that access to knowledge is a human right, and we oppose
>> internet censorship in all forms. We believe that limiting access to
>> projects like Wikimedia Commons deprives people of access to important
>> historical and educational content and makes it more difficult for local
>> volunteers to share their media with the world.
>>
>> If you experience censorship of the Wikimedia projects, you are welcome
>> to report this directly to the Wikimedia Foundation at <
>> answ...@wikimedia.org> and we can help route the question to the right
>> technical experts within the Foundation.
>>
>> Best,
>> Stephen
>>
>> On Wed, Mar 20, 2024 at 10:06 AM Yaroslav Blanter 
>> wrote:
>>
>>> 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  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 

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Saqib Qayyum]

Dear Mr. Stephen LaPorte

Thank you for commenting.

Recently, I have been in contact with several journalists who have
expressed their interest in covering this issue and have been attempting to
reach out to WMF for an official statement. but unfortunately, they have
reported difficulty in obtaining any response from WMF despite their
repeated efforts. As a result, they are unable to proceed with their
stories without an official statement from WMF.

I wanted to inquire if we can expect a statement or a press release from
WMF explicitly addressing the Commons blockage ? Providing clarity on this
matter would not only assist journalists in their reporting but also help
prioritize efforts to unblock the website.

--
Saqib Qayyum
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Saqib


On Thu, Mar 21, 2024 at 10:23 PM Stephen LaPorte 
wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I am Stephen LaPorte, the General Counsel at the Foundation.
>
> We have received reports that Wikimedia Commons has been partially
> inaccessible in Pakistan—depending on the user's Internet Service
> Provider—for multiple years, starting as early as 2021. My understanding is
> that it does not affect the display of images on Wikipedia, and it predates
> the blocking and unblocking
> 
> of Wikipedia in February 2023.
>
> We have not received any formal notice or a recent legal demand related to
> Wikimedia Commons, so we do not know on what grounds the site is partially
> inaccessible or how many people have been affected since this started.
> Overall, traffic to Wikimedia Commons from Pakistan before 2020 is too low
> to establish a clear pattern that shows when this started or the extent of
> the disruption. All these factors have made understanding the situation
> difficult and require a balanced response, and we remain committed to
> knowledge access in the country.
>
> After Yaroslav reported
> 
> not being able to access the site last year, we investigated further. We've
> shared information about this situation with other organizations that
> monitor internet censorship and advocate for internet freedom in Pakistan.
>
> We believe that access to knowledge is a human right, and we oppose
> internet censorship in all forms. We believe that limiting access to
> projects like Wikimedia Commons deprives people of access to important
> historical and educational content and makes it more difficult for local
> volunteers to share their media with the world.
>
> If you experience censorship of the Wikimedia projects, you are welcome to
> report this directly to the Wikimedia Foundation at 
> and we can help route the question to the right technical experts within
> the Foundation.
>
> Best,
> Stephen
>
> On Wed, Mar 20, 2024 at 10:06 AM Yaroslav Blanter 
> wrote:
>
>> 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  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 
>>> 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  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 

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Saqib Qayyum]

As of now, only the Commons is blocked.
--
Saqib Qayyum


On Wed, Mar 20, 2024 at 9:14 PM Risker  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  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  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: 

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Stephen LaPorte]

Hi all,

I am Stephen LaPorte, the General Counsel at the Foundation.

We have received reports that Wikimedia Commons has been partially
inaccessible in Pakistan—depending on the user's Internet Service
Provider—for multiple years, starting as early as 2021. My understanding is
that it does not affect the display of images on Wikipedia, and it predates
the blocking and unblocking

of Wikipedia in February 2023.

We have not received any formal notice or a recent legal demand related to
Wikimedia Commons, so we do not know on what grounds the site is partially
inaccessible or how many people have been affected since this started.
Overall, traffic to Wikimedia Commons from Pakistan before 2020 is too low
to establish a clear pattern that shows when this started or the extent of
the disruption. All these factors have made understanding the situation
difficult and require a balanced response, and we remain committed to
knowledge access in the country.

After Yaroslav reported

not being able to access the site last year, we investigated further. We've
shared information about this situation with other organizations that
monitor internet censorship and advocate for internet freedom in Pakistan.

We believe that access to knowledge is a human right, and we oppose
internet censorship in all forms. We believe that limiting access to
projects like Wikimedia Commons deprives people of access to important
historical and educational content and makes it more difficult for local
volunteers to share their media with the world.

If you experience censorship of the Wikimedia projects, you are welcome to
report this directly to the Wikimedia Foundation at 
and we can help route the question to the right technical experts within
the Foundation.

Best,
Stephen

On Wed, Mar 20, 2024 at 10:06 AM Yaroslav Blanter  wrote:

> 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  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 
>> 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  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 

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Yaroslav Blanter]

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  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  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  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 

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Risker]

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  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  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 

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Saqib Qayyum]

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  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 

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[James Heilman]

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 

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Neurodivergent Netizen]

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 
>  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 
>  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 
>>  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 
>>  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 

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Alessandro Marchetti via Wikimedia-l]

  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 
 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 horsesShe/her





On Mar 19, 2024, at 12:17 PM, Alessandro Marchetti via Wikimedia-l 
 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 
 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 horsesShe/her





On Mar 19, 2024, at 11:23 AM, Alessandro Marchetti via Wikimedia-l 
 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 

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Saqib Qayyum]

It's truly disheartening to see the WMF's lack of action, especially when
Yaroslav himself reported the issue to the WMF, and they confirmed the
blockage of Commons in Pakistan.

This neglect is unacceptable, considering Pakistan's significant population
of 170 million internet users, making it the fifth-largest in the world,
surpassing even Russia. How can the WMF overlook such a crucial issue?
--
Saqib Qayyum


On Wed, Mar 20, 2024 at 1:01 AM neurokitty via Wikimedia-l <
wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org> wrote:

>
>- Blocking a free knowledge repository = attack on freedom of speech
>and free knowledge
>
>
>- Suggesting VPN = suggesting to use the backdoor instead of fighting
>back for free knowledge and freedom of speech
>- Foundation is not interested in commons, previous archives informs
>that mystery.
>- One potential reason WMF not interested in Pakistan is, the country
>doesn't have potential donors, or asking for the unblock might not help to
>attract the global attention (unlike other big countries!) as global
>attention is a superset of attention from donors. Money is the only known
>god for the foundation.
>- WMF communications does anything but communication, the name is a
>shame. If it needs to bring a matter to public mailing lists to get heard,
>then everything will collapse. Imagine a wikimedia movement, where everyone
>is forwarding their previous mails to the foundation, to the public mailing
>lists, since foundation didn't care ... ... (If it works, it works, and all
>should do that)
>
>
> Regards,
> *WikiInsaf*
> Insaf jarur milegi
>
> On Wednesday, March 20th, 2024 at 12:13 AM, Risker 
> wrote:
>
> VPNs and IP block exemption may or may not be useful for contributing to
> Commons, but contribution is not the only thing at issue here.
>
> The purpose of Commons is to act as a media repository for (a) all
> Wikimedia projects and (b) the world as a whole, without cost or licensing
> issues. Every day, hundreds if not thousands of Commons files are used in
> news media, academia, and other places outside of Wikimedia projects.
> Commons files appear in the majority of Wikimedia articles. Therefore, free
> and open access to Wikimedia Commons as part of the knowledge available to
> all of humanity is a major objective. It's also where we, as a community,
> store useful documents and files associated with significant information
> about our movement, our projects, and many other things that may affect all
> projects, so access to them is important, too.
>
> I have no doubt that the Pakistani block is motivated by matters that have
> nothing to do with free knowledge or the Wikimedia mission. If I was a
> betting woman, I'd say that this may be an attempt to avoid a public uproar
> about blocking Wikipedia itself, but with Commons being so much less
> visible, it's easier to block that project and wind up with essentially the
> same effect.
>
> I am aware that there are multiple language Wikipedias edited by our
> Pakistani editors. One possible interim solution might be ensuring that
> images can be uploaded directly to those Wikipedia projects, and copies of
> Commons images be hosted on those projects. Some Wikipedias retained their
> own project-specific media storage, and many of their policies, procedures
> and guidelines could be used as a framework for the Pakistani-languages
> wikis to develop their own processes. As English is one of Pakistan's
> official languages, it would be worthwhile to have a discussion on English
> Wikipedia to work on this, too. Bots located outside of Pakistan could be
> used to both bring images to those Wikipedias and to copy their images over
> to Commons for global use.
>
> Of course, the longer-term goal is to have the block lifted entirely. What
> I am suggesting is a mitigation strategy only.
>
> Risker/Anne
>
> On Tue, 19 Mar 2024 at 13:17, Saqib Qayyum  wrote:
>
>> 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  wrote:
>>
>>> Can you not just use a VPN?
>>>
>>> James
>>>
>>> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:29 PM Saqib 

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Saqib Qayyum]

I feel this discussion is veering off course. Let's set aside the debate on
whether using VPNs is appropriate or not. Instead, let's focus on taking
action to unblock the website. This can begin with the WMF releasing a
statement. Once this gains attention from the wider news media, authorities
may review their decision to block the website.
--
Saqib Qayyum


On Wed, Mar 20, 2024 at 12:17 AM 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  wrote:
>
> Can you not just use a VPN?
>
> James
>
> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:29 PM Saqib Qayyum 
> 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
> 

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[neurokitty via Wikimedia-l]

- Blocking a free knowledge repository = attack on freedom of speech and free 
knowledge

- Suggesting VPN = suggesting to use the backdoor instead of fighting back for 
free knowledge and freedom of speech
- Foundation is not interested in commons, previous archives informs that 
mystery.
- One potential reason WMF not interested in Pakistan is, the country doesn't 
have potential donors, or asking for the unblock might not help to attract the 
global attention (unlike other big countries!) as global attention is a 
superset of attention from donors. Money is the only known god for the 
foundation.
- WMF communications does anything but communication, the name is a shame. If 
it needs to bring a matter to public mailing lists to get heard, then 
everything will collapse. Imagine a wikimedia movement, where everyone is 
forwarding their previous mails to the foundation, to the public mailing lists, 
since foundation didn't care ... ... (If it works, it works, and all should do 
that)

Regards,
WikiInsaf
Insaf jarur milegi

On Wednesday, March 20th, 2024 at 12:13 AM, Risker  wrote:

> VPNs and IP block exemption may or may not be useful for contributing to 
> Commons, but contribution is not the only thing at issue here.
>
> The purpose of Commons is to act as a media repository for (a) all Wikimedia 
> projects and (b) the world as a whole, without cost or licensing issues. 
> Every day, hundreds if not thousands of Commons files are used in news media, 
> academia, and other places outside of Wikimedia projects. Commons files 
> appear in the majority of Wikimedia articles. Therefore, free and open access 
> to Wikimedia Commons as part of the knowledge available to all of humanity is 
> a major objective. It's also where we, as a community, store useful documents 
> and files associated with significant information about our movement, our 
> projects, and many other things that may affect all projects, so access to 
> them is important, too.
>
> I have no doubt that the Pakistani block is motivated by matters that have 
> nothing to do with free knowledge or the Wikimedia mission. If I was a 
> betting woman, I'd say that this may be an attempt to avoid a public uproar 
> about blocking Wikipedia itself, but with Commons being so much less visible, 
> it's easier to block that project and wind up with essentially the same 
> effect.
>
> I am aware that there are multiple language Wikipedias edited by our 
> Pakistani editors. One possible interim solution might be ensuring that 
> images can be uploaded directly to those Wikipedia projects, and copies of 
> Commons images be hosted on those projects. Some Wikipedias retained their 
> own project-specific media storage, and many of their policies, procedures 
> and guidelines could be used as a framework for the Pakistani-languages wikis 
> to develop their own processes. As English is one of Pakistan's official 
> languages, it would be worthwhile to have a discussion on English Wikipedia 
> to work on this, too. Bots located outside of Pakistan could be used to both 
> bring images to those Wikipedias and to copy their images over to Commons for 
> global use.
>
> Of course, the longer-term goal is to have the block lifted entirely. What I 
> am suggesting is a mitigation strategy only.
>
> Risker/Anne
>
> On Tue, 19 Mar 2024 at 13:17, Saqib Qayyum  wrote:
>
>> 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  wrote:
>>
>>> Can you not just use a VPN?
>>>
>>> James
>>>
>>> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:29 PM Saqib Qayyum  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 

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Saqib Qayyum]

By the way, I don't understand why Pakistan blocked Commons. My guess is it
was blocked by mistake or unintentionally because I don't think there's
anything on Commons that is critical or bothersome to the government. At
least I don't know of any such content. So if WMF raises its voice, I'm
sure it can be unblocked. Why not WMF try at least instead of remaining
silent? When WP was blocked last year, it was unblocked after voices were
raised.
--
Saqib Qayyum


On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 10:17 PM Saqib Qayyum 
wrote:

> Well Twitter has actually been blocked for the past 01 month, right after
> the general election. There's been a lot of uproar about it, but it's
> uncertain when they will unblock it. Meanwhile, at least WMF should issue a
> statement condemning the blockage of Commons.
> --
> Saqib Qayyum
>
>
> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 10:16 PM Neurodivergent Netizen <
> idoh.idreamofhor...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> While a good stop-gap measure, VPNs can be expensive enough that it’s not
>> really a permanent solution. The ultimate solution is to get Commons
>> unblocked, if that’s possible. Of course, getting it unblocked might prove
>> impossible.
>>
>> From,
>> I dream of horses
>> She/her
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mar 19, 2024, at 9:33 AM, James Heilman  wrote:
>>
>> Can you not just use a VPN?
>>
>> James
>>
>> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:29 PM Saqib Qayyum 
>> 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
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>
>
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[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Saqib Qayyum]

Well Twitter has actually been blocked for the past 01 month, right after
the general election. There's been a lot of uproar about it, but it's
uncertain when they will unblock it. Meanwhile, at least WMF should issue a
statement condemning the blockage of Commons.
--
Saqib Qayyum


On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 10:16 PM Neurodivergent Netizen <
idoh.idreamofhor...@gmail.com> wrote:

> While a good stop-gap measure, VPNs can be expensive enough that it’s not
> really a permanent solution. The ultimate solution is to get Commons
> unblocked, if that’s possible. Of course, getting it unblocked might prove
> impossible.
>
> From,
> I dream of horses
> She/her
>
>
>
>
>
> On Mar 19, 2024, at 9:33 AM, James Heilman  wrote:
>
> Can you not just use a VPN?
>
> James
>
> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:29 PM Saqib Qayyum 
> 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
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> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-le...@lists.wikimedia.org
>
>
> ___
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> at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
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[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Saqib Qayyum]

OMG, how did I miss meeting both of you Yaroslav and Mr. James
--
Saqib Qayyum


On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 10:11 PM Yaroslav Blanter  wrote:

> I have been to Pakistan in July and indeed discovered that Wikimedia
> Commons was blocked. I complained to the WMF (using the Village pump on
> Commons when I was back), they were apparently not familiar with the
> situation but investigated it and acknowledged that Commons is indeed
> blocked in Pakistan (or at least in some locations in Pakistan).
>
> Best
> Yaroslav
>
> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 4:59 PM Saqib Qayyum 
> 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
>
> ___
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> at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
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[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Neurodivergent Netizen]

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 
>  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 
>  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 
>>  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 
>>  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 > > wrote:
>> Can you not just use a VPN?
>> 
>> James
>> 
>> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:29 PM Saqib Qayyum > > 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: 
>> 

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Alessandro Marchetti via Wikimedia-l]

 
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 
 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 horsesShe/her





On Mar 19, 2024, at 11:23 AM, Alessandro Marchetti via Wikimedia-l 
 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 
 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  wrote:

Can you not just use a VPN?
James
On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:29 PM Saqib Qayyum  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 Qayyumhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Saqib
___
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[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Neurodivergent Netizen]

> 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 
>  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 
>  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  > wrote:
> Can you not just use a VPN?
> 
> James
> 
> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:29 PM Saqib Qayyum  > 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
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> 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
> ___
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> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-le...@lists.wikimedia.org 
> 
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> 
> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-le...@lists.wikimedia.org 
> ___
> 

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Alessandro Marchetti via Wikimedia-l]

 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 
 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  wrote:

Can you not just use a VPN?
James
On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:29 PM Saqib Qayyum  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 Qayyumhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Saqib
___
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[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Yaroslav Blanter]

Just to clarify, at least in my case, the embedded Commons files were
visible on Wikimedia projects (including the English Wikipedia) when I was
in Pakistan. I just could not open them on Commons or upload any files.

Best
Yaroslav

On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 7:13 PM Risker  wrote:

> VPNs and IP block exemption may or may not be useful for contributing to
> Commons, but contribution is not the only thing at issue here.
>
> The purpose of Commons is to act as a media repository for (a) all
> Wikimedia projects and (b) the world as a whole, without cost or licensing
> issues.  Every day, hundreds if not thousands of Commons files are used in
> news media, academia, and other places outside of Wikimedia projects.
> Commons files appear in the majority of Wikimedia articles.   Therefore,
> free and open access to Wikimedia Commons as part of the knowledge
> available to all of humanity is a major objective.  It's also where we, as
> a community, store useful documents and files associated with significant
> information about our movement, our projects, and many other things that
> may affect all projects, so access to them is important, too.
>
> I have no doubt that the Pakistani block is motivated by matters that have
> nothing to do with free knowledge or the Wikimedia mission. If I was a
> betting woman, I'd say that this may be an attempt to avoid a public uproar
> about blocking Wikipedia itself, but with Commons being so much less
> visible, it's easier to block that project and wind up with essentially the
> same effect.
>
> I am aware that there are multiple language Wikipedias edited by our
> Pakistani editors. One possible interim solution might be ensuring that
> images can be uploaded directly to those Wikipedia projects, and copies of
> Commons images be hosted on those projects. Some Wikipedias retained their
> own project-specific media storage, and many of their policies, procedures
> and guidelines could be used as a framework for the Pakistani-languages
> wikis to develop their own processes. As English is one of Pakistan's
> official languages, it would be worthwhile to have a discussion on English
> Wikipedia to work on this, too. Bots located outside of Pakistan could be
> used to both bring images to those Wikipedias and to copy their images over
> to Commons for global use.
>
> Of course, the longer-term goal is to have the block lifted entirely. What
> I  am suggesting is a mitigation strategy only.
>
> Risker/Anne
>
> On Tue, 19 Mar 2024 at 13:17, Saqib Qayyum  wrote:
>
>> 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  wrote:
>>
>>> Can you not just use a VPN?
>>>
>>> James
>>>
>>> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:29 PM Saqib Qayyum 
>>> 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 

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Risker]

VPNs and IP block exemption may or may not be useful for contributing to
Commons, but contribution is not the only thing at issue here.

The purpose of Commons is to act as a media repository for (a) all
Wikimedia projects and (b) the world as a whole, without cost or licensing
issues.  Every day, hundreds if not thousands of Commons files are used in
news media, academia, and other places outside of Wikimedia projects.
Commons files appear in the majority of Wikimedia articles.   Therefore,
free and open access to Wikimedia Commons as part of the knowledge
available to all of humanity is a major objective.  It's also where we, as
a community, store useful documents and files associated with significant
information about our movement, our projects, and many other things that
may affect all projects, so access to them is important, too.

I have no doubt that the Pakistani block is motivated by matters that have
nothing to do with free knowledge or the Wikimedia mission. If I was a
betting woman, I'd say that this may be an attempt to avoid a public uproar
about blocking Wikipedia itself, but with Commons being so much less
visible, it's easier to block that project and wind up with essentially the
same effect.

I am aware that there are multiple language Wikipedias edited by our
Pakistani editors. One possible interim solution might be ensuring that
images can be uploaded directly to those Wikipedia projects, and copies of
Commons images be hosted on those projects. Some Wikipedias retained their
own project-specific media storage, and many of their policies, procedures
and guidelines could be used as a framework for the Pakistani-languages
wikis to develop their own processes. As English is one of Pakistan's
official languages, it would be worthwhile to have a discussion on English
Wikipedia to work on this, too. Bots located outside of Pakistan could be
used to both bring images to those Wikipedias and to copy their images over
to Commons for global use.

Of course, the longer-term goal is to have the block lifted entirely. What
I  am suggesting is a mitigation strategy only.

Risker/Anne

On Tue, 19 Mar 2024 at 13:17, Saqib Qayyum  wrote:

> 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  wrote:
>
>> Can you not just use a VPN?
>>
>> James
>>
>> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:29 PM Saqib Qayyum 
>> 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

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Saqib Qayyum]

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  wrote:

> Can you not just use a VPN?
>
> James
>
> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:29 PM Saqib Qayyum 
> 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
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>
>
>
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> MD, CCFP-EM, Wikipedian
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[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Neurodivergent Netizen]

While a good stop-gap measure, VPNs can be expensive enough that it’s not 
really a permanent solution. The ultimate solution is to get Commons unblocked, 
if that’s possible. Of course, getting it unblocked might prove impossible.

From,
I dream of horses
She/her





> On Mar 19, 2024, at 9:33 AM, James Heilman  wrote:
> 
> Can you not just use a VPN?
> 
> James
> 
> On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:29 PM Saqib Qayyum  > 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
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>> 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
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[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[Yaroslav Blanter]

I have been to Pakistan in July and indeed discovered that Wikimedia
Commons was blocked. I complained to the WMF (using the Village pump on
Commons when I was back), they were apparently not familiar with the
situation but investigated it and acknowledged that Commons is indeed
blocked in Pakistan (or at least in some locations in Pakistan).

Best
Yaroslav

On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 4:59 PM Saqib Qayyum  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
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[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[James Heilman]

Can you not just use a VPN?

James

On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:29 PM Saqib Qayyum  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
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[Wikimedia-l] Re: Urgent attention required because Commons is blocked in Pakistan

[James Heilman]

On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:29 PM Saqib Qayyum  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
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> 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
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