Over four years ago, the Wikimedia Foundation filed a lawsuit challenging the NSA's massive, warrantless electronic surveillance practice known as “Upstream.” Upstream surveillance indiscriminately collects internet communications, including communications by Wikimedia users and contributors that could reveal what they are reading and editing.
The presentation will briefly provide background on Upstream surveillance. It will outline the case, its significance, and some of the history of U.S. government surveillance and that of its international partners. It will also discuss the role of the lawsuit in our work against censorship and other government actions that can diminish the use of, and the content on, Wikimedia projects.
''Wikimedia Foundation v. NSA'' is one of the most important ongoing legal case
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s challenging US government surveillance, and is currently awaiting a trial court ruling on summary judgment. The American Civil Liberties Union, the Knight First Amendment Institute, and pro bono private counsel are representing us, working closely with the Foundation’s internal Legal, Audiences, Community Engagement, and Tech departments.
The case was originally dismissed by the trial court, but reinstated by the Court of Appeals, which held that Wikimedia alone of the original nine co-plaintiffs likely had “standing” -- that is, made a probable showing that communications of Wikimedians had been collected -- to continue the case. The presentation will detail the elements of the case, discuss why it is key to upholding Wikimedia values, and why there are still challenges ahead. Our goal is not only to inform the Wikimedia community, but to discuss how we can educate the broader public.