Italian Wikipedia on Strike

[Susurrus]

From eng wikipedia:


On October 4, 2011, following a decision adopted by the community, all of the site's articles were hidden and the website blocked by its administrators, as a protest against paragraph 29 of the DDL intercettazioni (Wiretapping Bill) which was being debated at the time in the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian parliament. The proposed bill would empower anyone who believes themselves to have been offended by the content of a web site to enforce publication of a reply, uneditable and uncommented, on the same web site, within 48 hours and without any prior evaluation of the claim by a judge. Should the bill pass, it is thought likely to inflict severe limitations on the "horizontal" freedom of access and editing that is common to Wikimedia projects. This was the first time a Wikipedia blanked all its content to protest. The Wikimedia Foundation officially supported the decision of the Italian Wikipedia by a statement released the same day. The manifesto which replaced the Italian Wikipedia has been viewed approximately 8 million times.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Wikipedia#2011_mass_blanking_protest

[¿Que?]

I don't understand, what does the paragraph say?

[Red Commissar]

I don't understand, what does the paragraph say?

Their full statement is here, in english,

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Comunicato_4_ottobre_2011/en

It may make more sense to read the whole thing and view that paragraph in context.

If you try to use the Italian wikipedia right now, any queries redirect to this statement from the administrators.

What they are drawing attention to is the nature of the so-called "Wiretapping Law", which has already been criticized by journalists as early as last year, over what powers it can grant. Essentially it can allow someone who feels their reputation is being smeared to request the offending information be removed. With approval from a judge, this gives 48 hours for the people responsible for the source to act and remove the offending information or face a penalty. This is pretty much taking libel to its extreme- except in this case it doesn't differentiate over whether the information is false or not, but rather if it is damaging to the claimant.

As this article (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/27/italy-bloggers-protest-right-reply-bill) points out, it is very overbearing and can be problematic to those trying to present news or build information.


Italian bloggers are to demonstrate in Rome on Thursday against what one opposition leader called a "fascist measure" that would make them liable for fines of up to €12,000 (£10,000).

The proposed clampdown was slipped into a bill to curb the right of the media in Italy to publish wiretap transcripts gathered during criminal investigations. Critics argue it was drafted by Silvio Berlusconi's government to protect the prime minister from embarrassment.

Earlier this month, the media gave extensive coverage to a report by prosecutors investigating a businessman alleged to have supplied prostitutes for parties at Berlusconi's various homes. The report included transcripts in which the prime minister discussed the quantity and qualities of the women, and boasted he had sex with eight in a single night.

The bill, due to begin its journey through parliament next week, includes a clause that puts blogs on the same footing as news websites. It stipulates that anyone who believes they have been defamed or misrepresented in a blog has a right of reply.

The blogger would get 48 hours in which to accede to the demand. In the event of a refusal, he or she would become liable for the fine.

This is not the first time Berlusconi's government has prompted howls of outrage from the blogosphere. A similar proposal was made last year, but failed to make headway in the legislature.

Paolo Gentiloni of the Democratic party, Italy's biggest opposition group, said: "The sole outcome of such a juridical absurdity would be to put a de facto block on blogs, websites and social networks."

Antonio Di Pietro, the leader of the anti-corruption Italy of Principles party and a keen blogger, called the proposal "an insult to freedom and democracy. It is a fascist measure."

Antonino Polimeni, a lawyer specialising in internet regulation, questioned the extent to which the measure could be used in practice. It envisaged bloggers being asked by email for a rectification and, under Italian law, he told the daily Corriere della Sera, "email has no validity". The proposal, however, would affect blogs published from known premises to which a letter could be delivered.

So as far as the Italian wiki editors are concerned, especially on articles about Italian politicians and other political figures, that their work will be compromised. In light of the media manipulation taken by the Berlusconi administration this fear is not unfounded.

The actual Italian statement has an infobox stating that they're watching what comes of the debate which will take place on the morning October 6th- that is right now or very soon in Italy time. They claim that some of the politicians who are aware of the news have indicated if they cannot defeat the proposal, will attempt to introduce an amendment excluding sites like Wikipedia from the law.

It's just another sad reflection of politics in Italy really.