2025:Program/Strengthening Wikipedia's neutral point of view

Session title: Strengthening Wikipedia's neutral point of view

Session type: Workshop - 40 minutes

Track: Community Engagement

Language: en

🎥 Session recording: https://www.youtube.com/live/IIJaOtycCf0?feature=shared&t=16463 🎥

A recent global trend that has generated significant conversation within and beyond the Wikimedia movement relates to neutrality: how trust in information online is declining and a fragmentation of consensus about what information is true. How the principle of neutrality translates into NPOV policy varies across the Wikimedia projects, highlighting an opportunity for communities to learn from each other; and to explore whether common global standards for neutrality can better protect the projects (and volunteers) in an environment of expanded threats and growing regulation.

Description

The purpose of the workshop is to have a conversation and collective thinking space regarding the global trend of neutrality, including both the general policy framework on projects and opportunities for peer learning and support across projects.

Objectives ➼ Create shared understanding regarding the global trend of neutrality (i.e. struggles over neutral and verifiable information threaten access to knowledge projects and their contributors). ➼ Share any prior conversations and work by the designated working group, including overview of existing policies on Wikipedias (https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Annual_Plan/2025-2026/Global_Trends/Common_global_standards_for_NPOV_policies) ➼ Facilitated breakout conversation regarding opportunities to collaborate across the projects on the topic ➼ Share and improve ideas for the next steps to take the work forward

How does your session relate to the event theme, Wikimania@20 – Inclusivity. Impact. Sustainability?

The aim of the neutrality policy work is to protect Wikipedia, increase the integrity of the projects, and equip the volunteers trusted to administer these policies with more support. This is related to impact and sustainability of our projects. The intent of the workshop is to be inclusive in the conversations.

What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?

Everyone can participate in this session

Resources

• https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1KukbCUXlCyiV_uC2Y8z-SkGvl3VMk8FV/edit?slide=id.p73#slide=id.p73
• https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Annual_Plan/2025-2026/Global_Trends/Common_global_standards_for_NPOV_policies/Analysis_of_Neutral_Point_of_View_Policies_across_Wikipedias

Speakers

• kvaidla

I am a collaboration and strategy enthusiast and have been working with non-profits in different fields for more than 15 years now. I am passionate about the vision of Wikimedia and keeping a space open for open knowledge and access to knowledge. Although I created my user account on wiki projects in 2009, I was not too active until I joined the Estonian chapter in 2013, first as a project writer and from 2014 as an executive director.

I have worked with the Wikimedia Foundation since 2018, working as the process architect for the Wikimedia 2030 movement strategy process, supporting its transition to imppementation, and the development of a movement charter.