Wiki143:Use of non-free content survey
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This is a survey of opinions regarding the preferred scope and limitations on the usage of fair use and other non-free content within Wikipedia.
This is not in itself a policy forming exercise. Rather it is an effort to discover the preferences of the Wikipedia community so that those preferences can later be used to inform subsequent policy discussions (along with legal and other considerations) both within Wikipedia and among the Board of Trustees of the Wikimedia Foundation. The need for such a survey, to foster greater understanding of community preferences, was originally suggested by board member Erik Möller.
For each item below, please sign in the section that you most agree with. You may include as much (or as little) explanatory text to clarify and explain your position as you wish. Short responses/rebuttals are okay, but if discussions between participants become overly long, they may be moved to the question's talk page.
Background
Since its creation, there has always been a tension in Wikipedia between the goal of creating a comprehensive encyclopedia and the commitment to free content as a means of accomplishing that goal. In addressing these conflicting interests, Wikipedia has embraced limited use of the US doctrine of fair use as expressed through the policy on non-free content. In general, Wikipedia's current policies build upon but are more restrictive than what is required under the legal doctrine of fair use. In addition, Wikipedia's policies regarding non-free content have changed over time, both through modifications of the policy and through changes in how it was interpreted and how rigorously it was applied.
To the extent that Wikipedia is more restrictive than the law demands, such restrictions can be adjusted by decisions made internally on Wikipedia and through resolutions issued by the Wikimedia Foundation (e.g. Resolution:Licensing policy). In recent, in-person discussions with board member Erik Möller (User:Eloquence), it was suggested that the framing of future policy decisions could benefit from broader insight into the wishes of the Wikipedia community when it comes to imposing restrictions on fair use beyond those required by law.
This survey is an attempt to address that need by gathering opinions regarding the preferred scope of the use of non-free content on Wikipedia. By itself, this poll is not intented to set policy, but rather to inform future policy discussions. As such, both minor and major departures from current policy are considered.
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