10/08, 16:15–16:55 (Poland), Tbilisi (7)
Idioma: English
Three years ago, Wikimedia Germany joined forces with four other German digital rights NGOs - the Open Knowledge Foundation Germany, AlgorithmWatch, Reporters without Borders Germany, and the Gesellschaft für Freiheitsrechte (“Society for Civil Rights”). Our shared goal is to collectively advocate for a digital policy that centers the common good and civil rights. In this session, we want to share practical insights from the work of the Bündnis F5, learn about experiences of participants in other countries that are engaged in similar efforts, and empower others to explore collective approaches to their advocacy work.
In the context of oftentimes scarce resources and a joint motivation to shape a progressive digital policy, the F5 alliance was founded three years ago - right in time for Germany’s 2021 federal elections. The alliance advocates for digital policy that puts the common good and human-rights front and center and thereby oftentimes represents a counterweight to the lobby efforts of tech corporations. In addition to core Wiki topics such as openness and transparency, advocacy efforts also include matters such as the regulation of commercial platforms and AI companies and applications, practices of private and state surveillance, the use and regulation of digital tools in the public sector, as well as sustainability in digitization processes. Throughout the past three years, the alliance has become an important voice in German digital politics - as demonstrated e.g. by the successful establishment of a highly frequented parliamentary roundtable format that F5 hosts four times per year.
In this session, we will delve into how our alliance has propelled both collective and organization-specific political objectives forward. We will explain the diverse array of tools we employ, from structured dialogues with policymakers to strategic public relations initiatives during pivotal political junctures. Additionally, we will navigate through the complexities and obstacles encountered along the way. In doing so, we want to provide practical insights into the alliance's operational framework - from organizational logistics to the alignment of political stances. Moreover, we invite participants to share and discuss their own experiences and alternative models of collaborative advocacy work.
Drawing from our experience of collaborative advocacy alongside our partner organizations in the F5 alliance, we want to equip fellow Wikimedia advocates with valuable insights and perhaps inspire others to forge alliances with like-minded organizations to pool their resources and collectively fight for open, democratic, and sustainable digital landscapes.
Session recording: https://youtu.be/QfbjhJiy41E?list=PLhV3K_DS5YfJdC5P86rsDsUtxEow0gDnR&t=25581
The session fits this year's theme perfectly since it will extend the horizon of its participants beyond Wikimedia borders. In doing so, it will highlight how collaborating with other digital rights organizations can benefit Wikimedia’s broader ambitions; how the collaboration creates synergies between participating organizations; and it will show how the alliance offers an invitation for all of the actors involved to learn from each other and consider a bigger picture beyond organizational boundaries in their policy work.
¿Cuál es el nivel de experiencia que requiere la audiencia en su sesión? –Everyone can participate in this session
¿Cómo planea realizar la sesión? –Onsite in Katowice
¿Qué otros temas o tópicos aborda su sesión? Por favor, escoja elementos de la lista de etiquetas a continuación. –Collaboration
Lara Mieg is the Project Manager for the F5 Alliance in Wikimedia Germany’s Public Policy & Public Sector Team. In this role, she coordinates the alliance's work, ranging from its organizational development to the co-conception of political strategies and formats to promote shared objectives. She holds a Master’s degree in Political Science and Sociology from Freie Universität Berlin and is passionate about fostering a democratic digitization and equal (digital) rights for everyone. Before joining Wikimedia Germany, she worked towards those aims in a political party and government agencies such as the Federal Agency for Civic Education.
As a Policy & Advocacy Manager, Pia covers the regulation of ADM systems in Germany at AlgorithmWatch.