Advocacy

We protect the right to free knowledge.

Everyone, everywhere has the right to access and share knowledge. By working with Wikimedia volunteers and affiliate organizations around the world, we protect free and open knowledge online, the people who make it possible, and our shared values.

Defending free expression

We defend everyone’s right to access free knowledge. We protect free expression rights; oppose government-imposed censorship; and educate governments, regulators, and lawmakers to defend people’s right to access and share knowledge globally.

Advancing better internet regulations

We help lawmakers support the right of online platforms and communities to create and share knowledge. We advocate laws that protect our ability to host content that Wikimedia volunteers share and edit. We are transparent about how we handle government demands to remove content or share data.

Promoting open copyright licenses

Creating and remixing content is vital for Wikimedia projects. We support copyright laws that promote a strong public domain and enable the use of free and open licenses so Wikimedia volunteers can contribute to knowledge broadly.

Upholding human rights

Volunteers may face surveillance, harassment, and retaliation for their work on Wikimedia projects. We defend their human rights, and we work to promote a safe online environment to create and share knowledge.

Protecting privacy

Privacy enables people to engage and share knowledge freely, without fear of someone watching their online lives. We defend everyone’s right to privacy and challenge mass surveillance.

Fighting disinformation

We stand for the right of everyone, everywhere to participate in free knowledge. In early 2022, when sanctions were imposed against the Russian government for invading Ukraine, we worked with our partners to make sure the Russian people could continue to access the open internet.

Learn more about our work, including research initiatives and how to get involved.

Stay up-to-date by following us on X, reading our monthly public policy and advocacy recap, and joining our mailing list. For quarterly insights, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter.

45 million

new articles in 2022

61+ million

articles across over 300 languages on Wikipedia

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Wikimedia Foundation calls on US Supreme Court to strike laws that threaten Wikipedia

The Foundation supports challenges to laws in Texas and Florida that jeopardize Wikipedia’s community-led governance model and the right to freedom of expression.

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Wikimedia Foundation calls for protection and fair treatment of Wikipedia as UK Online Safety Bill becomes law

The Wikimedia Foundation is calling on the UK government and independent regulator to ensure the implementation of the Online Safety Bill does not harm Wikipedia, and other projects that the public relies on to create and access free, reliable knowledge.

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Help us unlock the world’s knowledge.

As a nonprofit, Wikipedia and our related free knowledge projects are powered primarily through donations.

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