He tweeted in praise of BAYC but has recently taken his tweets private without explanation.
On Sun, Dec 11, 2022, 10:40 AM effe iets anders <effeietsand...@gmail.com> wrote: > I'm probably missing some context. I've seen earlier references to this > NFT in light of his appointment. What I somehow missed (sorry if I > overlooked it) is a clear indication how he would have supported this NFT, > and especially whether he supported problematic aspects of it specifically. > Also: has he spoken out about it since, or contextualized it in any way? > > I hope those of us better informed can help to understand this > conversation a bit better. > > Lodewijk > > On Sat, Dec 10, 2022 at 7:06 PM Lane Chance <zinkl...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> Just to remind you, Luis Bitencourt-Emilio is one of the Wikimedia >> Foundation's unelected trustees. He publicly supported the infamous >> "monkey" NFTs, widely thought to mirror racist tropes,* and used one as his >> social media avatar when first appointed to the board. >> >> In the last 24 hours a class action lawsuit is in the news, suing >> celebrities who were paid to promote the same Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs now >> considered "fraudulently misleading". It remains bizarre that the Wikimedia >> Foundation, considered a technology-leading organization with a core >> commitment to ethical behaviour, is publicly represented by someone who was >> openly part of the BAYC fanbois with such bad judgement they helped this >> alleged pyramid scheme. This background of lousy judgement does not meet >> the requirement for anyone sitting in top-level governance over the >> activities and massive funding for Wikimedia projects and operations. >> >> As was previously remarked in this email thread, "We should have looked >> at that history and trod more carefully." More worryingly the defensively >> circling the wagons at the beginning of the year to brush off the questions >> this raises shows that the Wikimedia Foundation nor the governance >> committee they rely on to "vet" unelected trustee appointments, failed. >> >> * A context here from an analysis by David Gerard "It does seem pretty >> likely that the Ape bros are at least casually racist. For one thing, they >> clearly feel at home in those corners of internet edgelord culture whose >> syncretism includes the troll disposition that has characterised the >> identitarian right since at least the eighties, the performative nihilism >> that has come to characterise disaffected digital natives in the wake of >> the Great Recession, and the ironic hipster racism that somehow always >> stops being ironic after a while. For another, they are shilling crypto, a >> project of the far right since day one." [3] >> >> Thanks, >> Lane >> >> References >> 1. >> https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/celebrity-promoters-sued-over-bored-ape-nft-endorsements-1235279115 >> 2. >> https://futurism.com/the-byte/celebrities-bored-apes-are-hilariously-worthless-now >> 3. >> https://davidgerard.co.uk/blockchain/2022/02/06/bored-ape-yacht-club-and-neo-nazis-so-much-reaching-for-just-four-bananas/ >> >> On Thu, 13 Jan 2022 at 16:02, Lane Chance <zinkl...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> Dariusz, Chair of the BGC: "Cryptocurrency and blockchains were not a >>> factor here – the Governance Committee, and then the Board, were >>> considering other things..." >>> >>> This is so wrong it's painful to read. The fundamental job of the >>> Governance Committee is to ensure that appointed trustees do not come with >>> the potential to cause harm to the Wikimedia 'brand' and the community. >>> >>> A WMF trustee that promotes Bitcoin and NFTs? Compare with the WMF >>> statement "We at the Wikimedia Foundation strive to ensure that our work >>> and mission support a sustainable world" - now in the bin as it lacks any >>> credibility from here on, as the governance committee and therefore the >>> board of trustees does not believe in these values. This is not a >>> successful appointment, Luis Bitencourt-Emilio is not welcome as they are a >>> controversial and damaging addition to the board. >>> >>> Ref: >>> https://wikimediafoundation.org/news/2019/09/19/how-the-wikimedia-foundation-is-making-efforts-to-go-green >>> >>> On Thu, 13 Jan 2022 at 13:40, Dariusz Jemielniak < >>> dar...@kozminski.edu.pl> wrote: >>> >>>> Dear Dan, >>>> >>>> Thank you for the feedback! >>>> >>>> The search for a trustee with an expertise in product and technology >>>> began a few months ago. One of the problems we identified was that the >>>> Wikimedia Foundation CTOs (Chief Technology Officer) are usually not >>>> staying for a long period of time, and then there was also a CPO (Chief >>>> Product Officer) transition. It was also important that the new CEO (Chief >>>> Executive Officer) would like to have a trustee with relevant experience >>>> and leadership in the tech world (as would the Board itself), but also with >>>> the understanding and experience of how technology and communities can work >>>> together, so, as you said, Reddit experience is very relevant. >>>> >>>> The other critical factor was diversity – the search was prioritizing >>>> candidates with experience outside of Silicon Valley, in non-English >>>> speaking countries, preferably from the Global South. >>>> >>>> And, of course, we also needed a commitment to spend enough time on the >>>> Board work – to be engaged and present. For example, Luis met online and >>>> offline with Wikimedia volunteers from Spanish and Portuguese-speaking >>>> communities, he is eager to help us with his knowledge and experience. >>>> Cryptocurrency and blockchains were not a factor here – the Governance >>>> Committee, and then the Board, were considering other things Luis brings to >>>> the table, the needed expertise, diversity and commitment. >>>> >>>> I personally am not particularly fond of cryptocurrencies, even though >>>> I appreciate blockchain as a technology, and support e.g. decentralized >>>> science (https://decentralized.science/). We as a movement have not >>>> had a uniform stand on this, and I’m not sure if we should, though. >>>> >>>> Best regards, >>>> Dariusz (chair of the BGC) >>>> >>>> On Thu, Jan 13, 2022 at 1:40 PM Dan Garry (Deskana) <djgw...@gmail.com> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Thanks for the update, Nataliia. Knowledge and expertise in product >>>>> and technology is a skill set that has been lacking on the Board, and it's >>>>> great to see the Board addressing this by co-opting product and technology >>>>> leaders. Luis's experience, such as his time at reddit, will likely be >>>>> very >>>>> applicable to our movement. >>>>> >>>>> However, I'm surprised that the Board chose to co-opt someone who >>>>> seems to have such a public focus on technology like blockchains and >>>>> cryptocurrency, and that this focus of his was omitted from this >>>>> announcement. >>>>> >>>>> It would be helpful if we could hear from Luis how he intends to use >>>>> his knowledge and expertise to contribute to the movement as a Board >>>>> member, and to what extent he considers blockchain and cryptocurrency to >>>>> factor into that. >>>>> >>>>> Thanks, >>>>> Dan >>>>> >>>>> On Wed, 12 Jan 2022 at 17:20, Nataliia Tymkiv <ntym...@wikimedia.org> >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Dear All, >>>>>> >>>>>> Please join me in welcoming Luis Bitencourt-Emilio to the Wikimedia >>>>>> Foundation Board of Trustees. Luis was unanimously appointed to a 3-year >>>>>> term and replaces a board-selected Trustee, Lisa Lewin, whose term ended >>>>>> in >>>>>> November 2021 [1]. >>>>>> >>>>>> Currently based in São Paulo, Luis is the Chief Technology Officer at >>>>>> Loft, a technology startup in the real-estate industry. He brings product >>>>>> and technology experience from a globally diverse career that has spanned >>>>>> large technology companies including Microsoft, online networking sites >>>>>> like Reddit, and a series of entrepreneurial technology ventures focused >>>>>> in >>>>>> the USA and Latin America. Luis has led product and technology teams >>>>>> across >>>>>> Latin America, the United States, Europe and Asia. He is passionately >>>>>> involved in building and promoting the entrepreneurial ecosystem for >>>>>> Latin >>>>>> American-based startups. >>>>>> >>>>>> Luis has more than two decades of experience across product >>>>>> development, software engineering, and data science. At Microsoft, he led >>>>>> engineering teams shipping multiple Microsoft Office products. At Reddit, >>>>>> he led the Knowledge Group, an engineering team that owned critical >>>>>> functions such as data, machine learning, abuse detection and search. He >>>>>> was deeply involved in Reddit’s growth stage and worked closely with >>>>>> Reddit’s communities in that evolution. Luis also co-founded a fintech >>>>>> startup to help millennials manage and automate their finances. >>>>>> >>>>>> His career has also been shaped by a visible commitment to recruiting >>>>>> diverse leaders. At Reddit, Luis was a key member of the recruitment >>>>>> efforts that achieved equal representation of women engineering >>>>>> directors. >>>>>> Luis says his proudest achievement at Microsoft was building their >>>>>> Brazilian talent pipeline by working closely with local universities to >>>>>> place thousands of engineering candidates at Microsoft, as well as his >>>>>> involvement in expanding global recruitment to markets including Ukraine, >>>>>> Poland, Great Britain, the EU and Mexico. >>>>>> >>>>>> Luis was educated in Brazil and the United States, receiving a >>>>>> Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering with Honors from the >>>>>> University >>>>>> of Maryland. He is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish and English. He is also >>>>>> a >>>>>> proud father and dog lover. >>>>>> >>>>>> I would like to thank the Governance Committee, chaired by Dariusz >>>>>> Jemielniak, for this nomination process as well as volunteers in our >>>>>> Spanish and Portuguese speaking communities who also met with Luis or >>>>>> shared their experiences. >>>>>> >>>>>> You can find an official announcement here [2]. >>>>>> >>>>>> PS. You can help translate or find translations of this message on >>>>>> Meta-Wiki: >>>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_noticeboard/January_2022_-_Luis_Bitencourt-Emilio_Joins_Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_of_Trustees >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> [1] Lisa Lewin served from January 2019 till November 2021: >>>>>> https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolution:Renewing_Lisa_Lewin%E2%80%99s_Appointment_to_the_Board_of_Trustees,_2021 >>>>>> >>>>>> [2] >>>>>> https://diff.wikimedia.org/2022/01/12/luis-bitencourt-emilio-joins-wikimedia-foundation-board-of-trustees/ >>>>>> >>>>>> Best regards, >>>>>> antanana / Nataliia Tymkiv >>>>>> Chair, Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees >>>>>> >>>>>> *NOTICE: You may have received this message outside of your normal >>>>>> working hours/days, as I usually can work more as a volunteer during >>>>>> weekend. You should not feel obligated to answer it during your days off. >>>>>> Thank you in advance!* >>>>>> >>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>> 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/2GJOGXKJITWZDZU3NQZQXX2ENN2EEK25/ >>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-le...@lists.wikimedia.org >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org, >>>>> guidelines at: >>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and >>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l >>>>> Public archives at >>>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/GVFVBGYZF2EDA5U4HRQKW4Y4HOKX6GWB/ >>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-le...@lists.wikimedia.org >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> >>>> __________________________________ >>>> >>>> prof. dr hab. Dariusz Jemielniak kierownik katedry MINDS >>>> <https://nerds.kozminski.edu.pl/>, Akademia Leona Koźmińskiego >>>> >>>> członek korespondent Polskiej Akademii Nauk <https://pan.pl/> >>>> >>>> faculty associate Berkman-Klein Center for Internet and Society >>>> <https://cyber.harvard.edu/>, Harvard University >>>> Ważniejsze książki: Collaborative Society >>>> <https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/collaborative-society> (2020, MIT >>>> Press, z A. Przegalińską), Thick Big Data >>>> <https://global.oup.com/academic/product/thick-big-data-9780198839705?cc=gb&lang=en> >>>> (2020, >>>> Oxford University Press), Common Knowledge? >>>> <https://www.sup.org/books/title/?id=24010> (2014, Stanford University >>>> Press) >>>> *Ostatnie artykuły:* >>>> >>>> - Jędrzej Chrzanowski, Julia Sołek, Dariusz Jemielniak, Wojciech >>>> Fendler (2021) Assessing Public Interest Based on Wikipedia’s Most >>>> Visited Medical Articles During the SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak >>>> <https://www.jmir.org/2021/4/e26331/>, *Journal of Medical Internet >>>> Research*, 23(4)::e26331 >>>> - Natalia Banasik-Jemielniak, Dariusz Jemielniak, Wojciech Pędzich >>>> (2021) Intercessory Rote Prayer, Life Longevity and the Mortality >>>> of Roman Catholic Bishops: An Exploratory Study >>>> <https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10943-021-01214-9>, >>>> *Journal >>>> of Religion and Health*, doi.org/10.1007/s10943-021-01214-9 >>>> - Natalia Banasik-Jemielniak, Dariusz Jemielniak, Maciej >>>> Wilamowski (2021) Psychology and Wikipedia: Measuring Psychology >>>> Journals’ Impact by Wikipedia Citations >>>> >>>> <http://nerds.kozminski.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Psychology-and-Wikipedia-measuring-psychology-journals-impact-by-Wikipedia-citations.pdf> >>>> , *Social Science Computer Review, * >>>> doi.org/10.1177/0894439321993836 >>>> - Agata Stasik, Dariusz Jemielniak (2021) Public involvement in >>>> risk governance in the internet era: impact of new rules of building >>>> trust >>>> and credibility >>>> >>>> <http://nerds.kozminski.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Public-involvement-in-risk-governance-in-the-internet-era-impact-of-new-rules-of-building-trust-and-credibility.pdf>, >>>> Journal of Risk Research, doi.org/10.1080/13669877.2020.1864008 >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> 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/K2IKIPHHWSLB4HJTEEX7GSKGOOSGZFVD/ >>>> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-le...@lists.wikimedia.org >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines >> at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and >> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l >> Public archives at >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/H3AMI7IVQK2TQHJ6W3GTSSWIW67F726M/ >> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-le...@lists.wikimedia.org > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines > at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > Public archives at > https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/AF3JFI57KW3ZJ6ZYFCU52QYOHWOD2NTH/ > To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-le...@lists.wikimedia.org
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