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This is an information page that describes communal consensus on some aspect of Wikipedia norms and practices. While it is not a policy or guideline itself, it is intended to supplement or clarify other Wikipedia practices and policies. Please defer to the relevant policy or guideline in case of inconsistency between that page and this one. |
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This page in a nutshell: Although we welcome all constructive contributors, editing Wikipedia is a privilege, not a right. There is no legal right to edit Wikipedia. |
The "right to free speech" has been cited on Wikipedia in response to blocks and bans, as well as editing restrictions imposed by Wikipedia policy or the Arbitration Committee. Some contributors apparently believe that because the Wikimedia Foundation is incorporated in the United States, and because the Wikipedia servers are located in the US, that contributors retain the right to freedom of speech on Wikipedia, as protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. This is mistaken, as that Amendment only protects speech from government censorship. It does not require a private, charitable organization like the Wikimedia Foundation to give a soapbox to all comers. Wikipedia is dedicated to expanding access to the sum of human knowledge - not providing a platform for human freedom of expression. Wikipedia is not your soapbox. Nor is it the soapbox of anyone else.
The text of the First Amendment states that:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The most relevant clause of that Amendment to the matter at hand is "Congress shall make no law." Wikipedia is a private website, hosted by the privately incorporated Wikimedia Foundation, and governed solely by the Board of Trustees of that Foundation. Wikipedia, and the Wikimedia Foundation that sponsors and regulates it, is free to establish its own policies and practices regarding who may edit here, and is not subject to regulation by the governments of the United States or the States of Florida and California in this respect. As a private website, Wikipedia has the legal right to block, ban, or otherwise restrict any individual from editing its pages, or accessing its content, with or even without reason.
This is not to say that the Wikimedia Foundation intends to extensively exercise that legal right, if it can be avoided. Wikipedia welcomes all constructive contributors, and is dedicated to assuming good faith with those here to contribute constructively and assist in helping expand access to the sum of human knowledge.
There are policies, like the blocking policy and the Arbitration policy that have been adopted by the Wikipedia community to govern matters related to restricting users' access, but these policies are subject to change. These policies also cannot, do not, and must not be construed by anyone as establishing any right or expectation that is legally enforcable, as the Wikimedia Foundation reserves the legal right to change them at any time for any reason whatsoever, whether with consensus, or without consensus, so as to further its mission, to prevent the Foundation or its projects from being brought into disrepute - or for any reason it sees fit - or even for the reason that it "feels like it".
In short, editing Wikipedia is a privilege granted to you by the permission of the Wikimedia Foundation, and can be revoked at any time for whatever reason that organization sees fit to do so. Your only legal rights on Wikipedia are your right to fork (create another encyclopaedia independent of the Wikimedia Foundation) and your right to leave.
This being said, we're not trying to be jerks. Nor do we plan on being jerks. We do hope that you stay, and help us to build a better Wikipedia. There's lots of work to be done, and everyone who's willing to contribute constructively is needed. Including you.
Please note: Nothing on Wikipedia.org or of any project of Wikimedia Foundation Inc., should be construed as an attempt to offer or render a legal opinion or otherwise engage in the practice of law. Please see Wikipedia:Legal disclaimer.
[edit] See also
- Wikipedia is not anarchy (Wikipedia is not a forum for unregulated free speech)
- Wikipedia is not censored
- Wikipedia is not a democracy
- Wikipedia is not a soapbox
- WP:You don't own Wikipedia — an essay.
- m:Power structure
