Wikipedia:Surveillance awareness day/Brainstorming phase

It remains an open question whether the custom content for Feb 11 would literally be located at Mainpage or whether it would be stored on a page of its own.

For one possible example of this might look like, see the Arbitrary Mockup #1. To view lots of items at once, see Arbitrary Mockup #2

You can help!

Today's article(s) for Feb 11
Most participants seem to agree that "Today's Article(s)" should be Featured Articles, or articles about to become Featured Articles.

Question: Will we have enough time to improve an article to FA status in time for February, or should we just go for one of the already-FA options?
 * FA takes a long time-- we might "discover" a Good Article that is very close to FA, but we can't manufacture a FA in 2-3 weeks. --HectorMoffet (talk) 08:25, 17 January 2014 (UTC)

Featured Articles that have never appeared as "Today's Featured Article"

 * Proposal: Afroyim v. Rusk -- proposed. Primarily due to its reliance upon the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which protects against abuse of government authority. &mdash; Cirt (talk) 23:47, 14 January 2014 (UTC)



Afroyim v. Rusk is a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court ruled that citizens of the United States may not be deprived of their citizenship involuntarily. The U.S. government had attempted to revoke the citizenship of Beys Afroyim, a Polish-born man who had voted in an Israeli election after having become a naturalized U.S. citizen, but the Supreme Court decided that Afroyim's right to retain his citizenship was guaranteed by the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. In so doing, the Court overruled one of its own precedents, Perez v. Brownell (1958), in which it had upheld loss of citizenship under similar circumstances less than a decade earlier.

The Afroyim decision opened the way for a wider acceptance of dual (or multiple) citizenship in United States law. The Bancroft Treaties—a series of agreements between the United States and other nations which had sought to limit dual citizenship following naturalization—were eventually abandoned after the Carter administration concluded that Afroyim and other Supreme Court decisions had rendered them unenforceable.

Thaddeus Stevens (April 4, 1792 – August 11, 1868) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania and one of the leaders of the Radical Republican faction of the Republican Party during the 1860s. A fierce opponent of slavery and discrimination against African-Americans, Stevens sought to secure their rights during Reconstruction, in opposition to President Andrew Johnson.
 * Proposal: Thaddeus Stevens , slavery opponent

Stevens was born in rural Vermont, in poverty, and with a club foot, giving him a limp he kept his entire life. He was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, where he became a strong advocate of free public education.

He was elected to Congress in 1848, where he spoke out against the Compromise of 1850 which allowed for some of the territories recently gained from Mexico to become slave states. As the debates continued, he stated, "This word 'compromise' when applied to human rights and constitutional rights I abhor. We are not asked, but commanded, to compromise away the Constitution."

Elected to Congress again in 1858, Stevens argued that slavery should not survive the war; he was frustrated by the slowness of President Abraham Lincoln to support his position. Stevens came to believe that not only should slavery be abolished, but that African-Americans should be given a stake in the South's future through the confiscation of land from planters to be distributed to the freedmen. His plans went too far for the Moderate Republicans, and were not enacted.
 * Although I just wrote this, I suspect it may be a tad too pointed, but trying to provide lots of options. --HectorMoffet (talk) 01:09, 20 January 2014 (UTC)


 * Proposal: Deep Throat (The X-Files episode) -- proposed. Relevance to generalist issues of spying and privacy, etc. &mdash; Cirt (talk) 23:49, 14 January 2014 (UTC)


 * Proposal: The Truth (The X-Files) -- proposed. Plot deals with government overreach. &mdash; Cirt (talk) 23:50, 14 January 2014 (UTC)


 * Franklin half dollar
 * The Post-Modern Prometheus
 * Peasants' Revolt, potential a bit much
 * Alexander of Greece
 * The Autobiography of Malcolm X
 * Analytical Review
 * OK Computer

Featured Articles that have previously appeared as "Today's Featured Article"

 * Normal Main Pages do not contain Featured Articles that have previously appeared on the mainpage.  Inclusion of a page that has previously appeared is extremely controversial with multiple editors.


 * With Blurbs
 * Proposed: The Wire

The Wire is an American television drama set and produced in Baltimore, Maryland. Created by writer/producer and former police reporter David Simon (pictured). The Wire premiered on June 2, 2002, with 60 episodes airing over the course of six seasons. The plot of the first season centers on the ongoing struggles between police units and drug-dealing gangs on the west side of the city, and is told from both points of view. Subsequent seasons focused on other facets of the city, exploring themes of surveillance and institutional dysfunction. Simon has said that despite its presentation as a crime drama, the show is "really about the American city, and about how we live together. It's about how institutions have an effect on individuals. Whether one is a cop, a longshoreman, a drug dealer, a politician, a judge or a lawyer, all are ultimately compromised and must contend with whatever institution to which they are committed." Despite only receiving average ratings and never winning major television awards, The Wire has been described by many critics and fans as one of the greatest TV dramas of all time. The show is recognized for its realistic portrayal of urban life, its literary ambitions, and its deep exploration of social and political themes.
 * I like this one for a couple reasons.  Firstly, it's very neutral and doesn't imply any "position" on surveillance.  The title is instantly relevant, and the blurb discusses complex societal issues without simple answers, clear heroes or clear villains.   It's not explicitly about the NSA and reminds us that surveillance isn't just limited to one agency.  Additionally, it will provide balance, reminding us surveillance can be legitimately used by law enforcement.   --HectorMoffet (talk) 13:56, 18 January 2014 (UTC)

Freedom for the Thought That We Hate is a 2007 non-fiction book by Anthony Lewis about freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of thought, and the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Lewis discusses key free speech case law, including U.S. Supreme Court opinions in United States v. Schwimmer (1929), New York Times Co. v. Sullivan (1964), and New York Times Co. v. United States (1971). The book's title is drawn from the dissenting opinion by Associate Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (pictured) in United States v. Schwimmer, who wrote: "if there is any principle of the Constitution that more imperatively calls for attachment than any other, it is the principle of free thought—not free thought for those who agree with us but freedom for the thought that we hate." The book was positively received by The New York Times, Harvard Magazine, Nat Hentoff, two National Book Critics Circle members, and Kirkus Reviews. Jeremy Waldron criticized the work in The New York Review of Books and elaborated on this in The Harm in Hate Speech (2012). This prompted a critical analysis of both works in The New York Review of Books by former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.
 * Proposed: Freedom for the Thought That We Hate


 * This seems promising, so long as it doesn't come across as an endorsement. --HectorMoffet (talk) 13:31, 17 January 2014 (UTC)

ROT13 is a simple Caesar cipher for obscuring text by replacing each letter with the letter thirteen places down the alphabet. A becomes N, B becomes O and so on. The algorithm is used in online forums as a means of hiding joke punchlines, puzzle solutions, movie and story spoilers and offensive materials from the casual glance. ROT13 has been described as the "Usenet equivalent of a magazine printing the answer to a quiz upside down." ROT13 originated in Usenet Internet discussions in the early 1980s, and has become a de facto standard. As a Caesar cipher, ROT13 provides no real cryptographic security and is not used for such; in fact it is often used as the canonical example of weak encryption. Because ROT13 scrambles only letters, more complex schemes have been proposed to handle numbers and punctuation, or arbitrary binary data. (more...) In cryptography, a Caesar cipher is one of the simplest and most well-known classical encryption techniques. It is a type of substitution cipher in which each letter in the plaintext is replaced by a letter some fixed number of positions further down the alphabet. For example, with a shift of 3, A would be replaced by D, B would become E, and so on. The method is named after Julius Caesar, who used it to communicate with his generals. The encryption step performed by a Caesar cipher is often incorporated as part of more complex schemes, such as the Vigenère cipher, and still has modern application in the ROT13 system. As for all single alphabet substitution ciphers, the Caesar cipher is easily broken and in practice offers no communication security. (more...) Richard Nixon (1913–94) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. He graduated from Whittier College in 1934 and Duke University School of Law in 1937, returning to California to practice law. He served in the United States Navy during World War II. Nixon was elected to the House of Representatives in 1946 and to the Senate in 1950. He served for eight years as vice president, from 1953 to 1961, and waged an unsuccessful presidential campaign in 1960, narrowly losing to John F. Kennedy. In 1968, Nixon ran again for president and was elected. He initially escalated the Vietnam War, but ended US involvement in 1973. Nixon's visit to the People's Republic of China in 1972 opened diplomatic relations between the two nations. Though he presided over Apollo 11, he scaled back manned space exploration. He was re-elected by a landslide in 1972. A series of revelations in the Watergate scandal cost Nixon much of his political support in his second term, and on August 9, 1974, he resigned as president. In retirement, Nixon's work as an elder statesman, authoring several books and undertaking many foreign trips, helped to rehabilitate his public image.

Gerald Ford was the 40th Vice President and the 38th President of the United States. He was elected House Minority Leader in 1963 and served in the House until 1973. When Spiro Agnew resigned, Ford was appointed Vice President of the United States during the height of the Watergate scandal. Following the resignation of Richard Nixon, Ford ascended to the presidency on August 9, 1974. The Ford administration saw the withdrawal of American forces from Vietnam, the execution of the Helsinki Accords and the continuing specter of inflation and recession. Faced with an overwhelmingly Democratic majority in Congress, the administration was hampered in its ability to pass major legislation and Ford's vetoes were frequently overridden. After Ford was criticized by many for granting a pardon to Nixon, Democrat Jimmy Carter narrowly defeated Ford in the 1976 presidential race. Ford is the only U.S. President never elected to either the Presidency or Vice Presidency. Along with his own Vice President, Nelson Rockefeller, he is one of two people appointed Vice President rather than elected. (continued...)


 * Without blurbs
 * Proposal: Samuel Adams


 * Proposal: Stephen Colbert at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner 
 * Speech had an NSA joke; If Colbert cancels on a the speech at RSA, this might become appropriate --HectorMoffet (talk) 01:12, 15 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Anti NSA. Too pointed. --Coin945 (talk) 15:51, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Proposal: Emma Goldman  , activist arrested & imprison for speech
 * Proposal: Barack Obama 
 * He gave a speech today, promising changes to the mass surveillance programmes; some critics say it's not enough.  Choosing the article about him could be seen as an endorsement. If any actual changes turn out not to be substantial, Wikipedia will look like the Nobel committee that awarded the man a peace prize. &mdash; rybec  23:33, 17 January 2014 (UTC)
 * As nom, I share the worry this could be seen as either implied endorsement or implied dis-endorsement. ---HectorMoffet (talk) 21:44, 18 January 2014 (UTC)
 * The article has already appeared twice as a TFA. A third appearance would not be appropriate since most articles only get a single "day in the sun".  Imzadi 1979  →   03:41, 23 January 2014 (UTC)


 * Proposal: Ronald Reagan 
 * Proposal: Harry S. Truman 
 * Proposal: Richard Nixon , impeached and resigned after misuse of surveillance
 * This one seems promising. --HectorMoffet (talk) 13:31, 17 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Someone else wrote "impeached and resigned after misuse of surveillance". Choosing this could be perceived as calling for impeachment of the current US president. &mdash; rybec 23:33, 17 January 2014 (UTC)


 * Proposal: Gerald Ford , Watergate
 * same comment as for Nixon article &mdash; rybec


 * Proposal: William Wilberforce , abolitionist
 * Proposal: A Vindication of the Rights of Men   a political pamphlet, written by the 18th-century British feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, which attacks aristocracy and advocates republicanism.
 * Proposal: Overman Committee   investigated German and Bolshevik elements in the United States. It was an early forerunner of the better known House Un-American Activities Committee,
 * Proposal: Night of the Long Knives  ?
 * Proposal: Caesar cipher  ?
 * Proposal: Liberty Bell 
 * Proposal: Statue of Liberty 
 * Proposal: Title 
 * Proposal: Title 

Articles that are not Featured Articles
[These are] Not FA. Not enough time to get it to FA. Why create another problem? --Coin945 (talk) 15:51, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

I concur that it would be extremely difficult to get an article to Featured Quality status given our timetable. ---HectorMoffet (talk) 19:01, 17 January 2014 (UTC)


 * Edward Snowden, needs to be improved to Featured status, but if that were possible, it would be a relevant topic. Jehochman Talk 20:44, 14 January 2014 (UTC)
 * I worry Snowden channels us into an unhelpful discussion about the ethics of whistleblowing.  We may have more luck keeping the focus on the issue of surveillance and privacy itself. --HectorMoffet (talk) 21:45, 14 January 2014 (UTC)


 * Global surveillance disclosures (2013–present), though not a FA yet.
 * Global surveillance disclosures (1970–2013) unassessed
 * Privacy C-class, former featured article candidate, tagged
 * Surveillance C-class
 * Government Communications Headquarters B-class
 * National Security Agency C-class
 * Communications Security Establishment Canada start-class
 * mass surveillance C-class
 * Global surveillance unassessed
 * Origins of global surveillance unassessed
 * Mass surveillance in the United States B-class
 * Mass surveillance in the United Kingdom unassessed
 * Data Protection Directive start-class, tagged as outdated
 * UKUSA Agreement start-class
 * Pine Gap start-class
 * ECHELON B-class
 * Frenchelon start-class
 * Secure communication unassessed
 * I2P start-class
 * Tor (anonymity network) C-class
 * Public-key cryptography C-class
 * Pretty Good Privacy unassessed, former featured article candidate
 * Phil Zimmermann unassessed
 * PRISM (surveillance program) C-class
 * Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 Amendments Act of 2008 start-class
 * United States Bill of Rights
 * Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution GA-class
 * These look quite promising. Ultra-relevant and already at GA. Good find!--HectorMoffet (talk) 01:08, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Nah-- not enough time. --HectorMoffet (talk) 18:52, 17 January 2014 (UTC)


 * National security letter start-class
 * Stasi start-class
 * See also: Merkel compares NSA to Stasi


 * Espionage Act of 1917 C-class
 * Nineteen Eighty-Four B-Class. Needs to be improved but a perfect fit for this purpose. Richerman    (talk) 23:35, 15 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Martin Luther King, Jr. GA-class

"Did You Know" for Feb 11

 * ... That the current Director of National Intelligence James Clapper falsely testified under oath that the NSA did not collect data on hundreds of millions of Americans.
 * Unless we doubt the Verifiability of this statement, I feel like some mention of this merits inclusion.  Both sides of the aisle have commented on this.   --HectorMoffet (talk) 14:22, 15 January 2014 (UTC)
 * This is an essential tidbit, and has not been disputed.  petrarchan47  t  c   20:13, 15 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Unfortunately, a tidbit is all this is. It really is quite insignificant when you get down to it. It's one tiny bit of - pointed mind you - trivia related to a falsehood that a guy told in relation to the NSA. Politicians do thousands of those a day. --Coin945 (talk) 16:28, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * This politician committed a felony (for which he has gone unpunished), and was then caught red-handed due the leaks. That does not happen often.  petrarchan47  t  c   21:28, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Disagree that this is trivial, however it's received wide, recent news coverage so we might be telling people something they already know. If we use it, I think it would best be worded differently. The initial wording comes close to accusing a living person of a crime he hasn't been convicted of. &mdash; rybec 01:55, 17 January 2014 (UTC)
 * "...telling people something they already know" - though all your points are valid, this one is reason enough to drop this candidate.  petrarchan47  t  c   02:45, 17 January 2014 (UTC)


 * ... That the Italian magazine Panorama reported that during the 2013 Papal Conclave, the NSA targeted Vatican cardinal-electors as they were choosing the next pope. Among those spied upon was Cardinal Bergoglio, now Pope Francis.
 * "Reportedly"? Hmmmm... --Coin945 (talk) 16:28, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Easily fixed by stating who reported it. ✅ First Light (talk) 23:57, 19 January 2014 (UTC)

The story appeared in Panorama and they cite unspecified documents released by Wikileaks. The Telegraph says "According to US State Department cables released by WikiLeaks in March this year, the US embassy to the Holy See drew up a profile of him, describing him as a "wise pastor" who had been praised for his "humility"." The Vatican responded that they didn't know about any wiretapping and have "no concerns" about it. &mdash; rybec 22:50, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * ... That in 1964, government surveillance of Martin Luther King was used by the FBI in an attempt to blackmail the civil rights leader into committing suicide?
 * I like. It's pretty interesting. ✅--Coin945 (talk) 16:28, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * It's also important and illuminating.   petrarchan47  t  c   21:34, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * ... That the first global wide area network was built beginning in 1981, for the ECHELON surveillance system?
 * Nice. ✅--Coin945 (talk) 16:28, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * ... That in 1988 a Lockheed employee revealed the ECHELON surveillance network when she "blew the whistle" on interception of a US senator's telephone calls?
 * Random trivia that assumes people know what ECHELON is... among other things. --Coin945 (talk) 16:28, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * "Surveillance network" and the linked article explain what ECHELON is. As for this being trivia, perhaps a change of wording is in order. The American Senate holds a fair bit of power, and ECHELON was being used to specifically collect the telephone calls of a particular senator, Strom Thurmond. There was a congressional investigation, which found that "targeting of U.S. political figures would not occur by accident, but was designed into the system from the start." Yet the Congress didn't shut it down. &mdash; rybec


 * ... That the American telephone company AT&T has a database of telephone call metadata dating back to 1987, and turns data over to law enforcement agencies—without search warrants—through the Hemisphere Project?
 * I genuinely didn't know this, and it's important to mention non-govt surveillance. --HectorMoffet (talk) 03:09, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * The only drawback would be the US-centricity, but if that can remain balanced, this addition would add vauable context.  petrarchan47  t  c   21:34, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

A little pointed (will need tweaking), but the idea is sound. Very nice. ✅--Coin945 (talk) 16:28, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * .... That the Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes privacy as a human right.
 * Nice. ✅--Coin945 (talk) 16:28, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * ... That in 1955, before Sputnik was launched, the US Air Force ordered the development of a spy satellite?
 * Good. ✅--Coin945 (talk) 16:28, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * ... That the famous physicist Albert Einstein, an outspoken supporter of civil rights, was placed under government surveillance?
 * Get rid of "famous", get rid of "outspoken supporter of civil rights", and then explain why he became a target. But it's okay. ✅--Coin945 (talk) 16:28, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Alternative: That due to his political views, government surveillance of Albert Einstein was employed in a campaign to discredit and expel him from the United States
 * Could even more be illuminating alongside mention of MLK (above) and allegations that MI5 spied on Mandela.  petrarchan47  t  c   23:28, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * The article currently has a link to Einstein's FBI file, but doesn't otherwise contain the words "FBI" or "surveillance" (I searched instead of reading). The surveillance went on for 22 years, from the year he entered the United States until the year he died. Perhaps that could be mentioned. &mdash; rybec 01:44, 17 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Good find.   petrarchan47  t  c   09:23, 17 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Rather than having multiple hooks followingt he formula "[famous person] was placed under surveillance by [agency], may I suggest something like "[insert names of multiple famous people] have all been placed underr serveillance by [agency[ due to [political views or whatever it is]". A joint hook.--Coin945 (talk) 19:46, 17 January 2014 (UTC)
 * This looks promising. Perhaps creat List of notable people placed under surveillance or something as a staging ground. --HectorMoffet (talk) 20:38, 17 January 2014 (UTC)
 * The list idea is good.   petrarchan47  t  c   23:32, 17 January 2014 (UTC)
 * POV statement: Charlie Chaplin, Eleanor Roosevelt, Einstein, Marilyn Monroe, Martin Luther King, John Lennon and Princess Diana were all under surveillance. Today, every famous person is under surveillance, and so are we all. &mdash; rybec
 * Interesting, relate-able, informative.  petrarchan47  t  c   02:10, 18 January 2014 (UTC)


 * ... That under the rule of Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan government forged a partnership with Britain and the United States to spy on Libyan dissidents living in the West?
 * Ehhh.. I'm not sure about this one. I think there are better options. The use of the word "spy" seems pointed. Do we know why they did this? Was there a valid reason in their eyes? --Coin945 (talk) 16:28, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

I suppose that if saying "spy" is out, then a mention of Lockerbie is right out. Both sources do use the word "spy", but "exchange information" or "turn over information" would be accurate. The CNN story says "the Libyans were interested to learn about alleged Islamic radicals involved in anti-Gadhafi activity in Canada, the United States and Europe. The United States and Britain were interested in any detail Libya could provide about al Qaeda." It also says and "Reports of cases of U.S. rendition to Libya have emerged." The BBC story says "...UK intelligence appeared to give Tripoli details of a Libyan dissident who had been freed from jail in Britain."

Readers in the "Five Eyes" countries may be surprised to learn that their governments would consider secretly turning over information on them to a foreign government. &mdash; rybec


 * ...That the Australian and German governments both knew about the PRISM surveillance program long before Edward Snowden made details public?
 * I don't like references to the current issue. This seems pointed. --Coin945 (talk) 16:28, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * ...That in 1974, US President Richard M. Nixon resigned following an attempt to wiretap his political opponents.
 * Very lukewarm about this one-- everyone should already know this; but better too many nominees than not enough. --HectorMoffet (talk) 13:59, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * I like. I didn't know about the Watergate scandal til relatively recently. Anyway the topic is sound, though the hook may need a bit of tweaking. ✅


 * That due to increased security measures instituted post-9/11, many terrorist plots have been uncovered and foiled.
 * Balancing out the NSA attack-fest. ✅--Coin945 (talk) 16:28, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * ✅ We need something like this for balance. Without this (or something like it) we'd be entirely one-sided.  17:55, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * AltText : That the US claims that increased security measures, instituted post-9/11, have helped prevent terrorism.
 * The article says that there have been unsuccessful plots since September 2001, and says that in 2004 "Security in the United States was put on high alert after a plot ..." but I don't see a statement in the article that "increased security measures" figured in the prevention of attacks. I think that such statements have been made in the press; get it into the article first? &mdash; rybec 18:11, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * I understand the intent, but we have to be consistent with facts: NSA spying resulted in at most one foiled terrorist plot. See here and here and here and here. If raising awareness of the issue appears to be an attack, it may be a sign that the spying program is faulty, and not a POV issue on our end. Further, this justifies the need for an "awareness day", as untruths and half-truths are being promulgated as full-truths: the very antithesis of an encyclopedia.  petrarchan47  t  c   21:54, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * The topic is covered in National_Security_Agency in the paragraph that opens with "Regarding the necessity of these NSA programs...." One of the citations contains the "54 attacks" statement. I get a 404 error for the Pro Publica page. &mdash; rybec
 * The link is working for me... but it was only supplemental. Here is another one.   petrarchan47  t  c   09:01, 17 January 2014 (UTC)
 * This very fact was discussed on CNN today, once here and again here (comment by Bergen).   petrarchan47  t  c   02:08, 18 January 2014 (UTC)


 * ... That John Lennon, the lead singer of The Beatles, was placed under government surveillance due to his to opposition to the Vietnam War?


 * ... That Eleanor Roosevelt, the longest-serving First Lady of the United States, was closely monitored by the FBI due to her liberal political views?


 * ...That protestors who joined the Occupy Wall Street movement were closely watched by the United States Department of Homeland Security?


 * ...That right until months before her death, the actress Marilyn Monroe was placed under constant surveillance due to her alleged ties to communism?


 * ...That right until moments before her death, Princess Diana's phone conversations were routinely intercepted by the NSA?


 * ...That Germany's Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) has a long history of spying on journalists?


 * ...That Britain's MI5 spied on the comedian Charlie Chaplin as part of a campaign to deport him from the United States?


 * ...That China employs over two million people to monitor the Chinese Internet?
 * We definitely need something like this. --HectorMoffet (talk) 04:21, 17 January 2014 (UTC)

fact is in Internet censorship in the People's Republic of China(Golden Shield) citation &mdash; rybec


 * ...That in the United States, thousands of surveillance drones are expected to be deployed at major public events such as protest gatherings?
 * Alternative...That in the United States, over 30,000 surveillance drones are expected to be deployed by 2020?


 * ...That Lustre refers to a secret treaty signed by France to faciliate the transfer of French metadata records to foreign governments?


 * ...NSA surveillance helped identify and convict four San Diego men who sent funds to the Al-Shabaab, a militia that conducts terrorism in Somalia.
 * Included because we need balance and we're having a hard time finding other documented successes. --HectorMoffet (talk) 07:32, 18 January 2014 (UTC)

Alternative:
 * ...that almost all employees at Bletchley Park, where nazi messages in World War 2 were decrypted, didn't know about the goal of their work? --Constructor 09:39, 18 January 2014 (UTC)
 * ...that the fictional spy James Bond is inspired by real stories his creator Ian Fleming encountered, including his own work for the British government in World War 2? --Constructor 09:39, 18 January 2014 (UTC)

...That an NSA slide presentation leaked by Edward Snowden claims that information from the XKeyscore Internet monitoring program led to the capture of 300 terrorists by 2008?

New Page / 5x expanded / or recently GAed

 * ...that the proposed USA Freedom Act, which would undo much of the Patriot Act, was submitted by Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, author of the Patriot Act?
 * References (not for use in Mainpage)

Today's Picture(s)

 * "It illustrates the subject in a compelling way, making the viewer want to know more."
 * "It might be shocking, impressive, or just highly informative."

Already Featured Pictures

 * Magna Carta (British Library Cotton MS Augustus II.106).jpg Magna Carta - the limiting of power to authority figures.--Coin945 (talk) 15:46, 14 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Ehh.. too tangential? Probably. But it does illustrate that absolute power corrupts absolutely. So ✅--Coin945 (talk) 18:20, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Its political message, that the commoners have rights, should be uncontroversial. &mdash; rybec 23:08, 17 January 2014 (UTC)


 * Dinkfuneral3.jpg Hrant Dink's funeral - Hrant Dink "was best known for advocating Turkish-Armenian reconciliation and human and minority rights in Turkey; he was often critical of both Turkey's denial of the Armenian Genocide, and of the Armenian diaspora's campaign for its international recognition.[2][3] Dink was prosecuted three times for denigrating Turkishness, while receiving numerous death threats from Turkish nationalists".--Coin945 (talk) 15:46, 14 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Seemed like a good idea at the time. --Coin945 (talk) 18:20, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * Gerald Ford hearing2.jpg President Ford at the pardon of Richard Nixon - for the Watergate Scandal etc.--Coin945 (talk) 15:46, 14 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Watergate is probably the most famous spy/privacy/etc. story within living memory, save Wikileaks. Very notable event. ✅--Coin945 (talk) 18:20, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Of the three FP nominated so far, this one wins. --HectorMoffet (talk)
 * It does come closest to the topic, but it could be seen as a call for a régime change in the US. &mdash; rybec 23:08, 17 January 2014 (UTC)

Not Featured Pictures

 * Not FPs. Not enough time to get into to FP. Why create another problem? --Coin945 (talk) 15:51, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Consensus is free to judge the BEST picture(s) for Feb 11, regardless of existing FP status. ✅ --HectorMoffet (talk) 19:57, 17 January 2014 (UTC)

In response to Coin945's comments about "not enough time", discussion at Featured_picture_candidates lasts 10 days, so a nomination would have to be made by 1 February. Also Featured picture criteria says that a picture must be used in an article to qualify, and recommends waiting a week after adding it to the article. Some of the suggested pictures are already used in articles; for those that are not, the last day to add them would be 25 January (for a 1 February nomination). There does appear to be enough time for featured picture designation. &mdash; rybec 20:04, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * I think we can get an image to FP in time, and I also think that the community might decide to merely change the name of the section to "Today's Picture" if we want to spotlight a free but not-currently-featured picture.    (In contrast, our featured article really does need to be a featured article-- FPs are subjectively better than normal pictures-- but FAs are objectively better than normal articles. --HectorMoffet (talk) 04:45, 17 January 2014 (UTC)
 * One of the images jumped out at me as a candidate for Featured Picture, so I nominated it.  If you sincerely believe an image should be FP, please nominate it.   Please adhere to our guidelines about WP:Canvassing-- do NOT support images for FP just because you support this proposal and always disclose how you found out about the discussion, etc. --HectorMoffet (talk) 08:20, 17 January 2014 (UTC)

This was nominated for FP, but looks like it will fail due to the resolution and a request that it be vectorised. Converting it to SVG may be feasible but is beyond my skills. &mdash; rybec 10:04, 17 January 2014 (UTC)
 * I've now found an actual scan of the patch that bumps it up to 900px.  --HectorMoffet (talk) 14:25, 17 January 2014 (UTC)

This is low-resolution, which could be a problem at FP Candidates. Asking that it be converted to SVG would be unreasonable, particularly because of the globe in it. We might try the angle that the office has been defunct for over 10 years and this is the best version that has come to light. &mdash; rybec 10:04, 17 January 2014 (UTC)


 * United_States_Intelligence_Community_Seal_2008.jpg logo of the United States Intelligence Community

Doesn't meat the resolution criterion (which asks for at least 1500x1500 pixels). A request that it be vectorised would not be unreasonable. &mdash; rybec 10:04, 17 January 2014 (UTC)


 * NeverSleeps_071310.jpg NSA headquarters at night, official NSA-supplied photo originally titled "The Mission Never Sleeps"
 * GCHQ at Cheltenham, Gloucestershire MOD 45154333.jpg official MoD-supplied photo of GCHQ building
 * GCHQ-aerial.jpg GCHQ building from the air


 * National Security Agency headquarters, Fort Meade, Maryland.jpg NSA headquarters by day
 * UKUSA Washington.jpg "Harry Hinsley, Sir Edward Travis and Brig. [John] Tiltman in Washington, November 1945"
 * EMERAUDE - Domme.jpg DGSE SIGINT station in the Domme commune in France
 * series of top secret images with telling commentary by the NSA (non-free media):
 * File:NSA iphone location services.jpg
 * File:NSA iphone location services 2.jpg
 * File:NSA iphone location services 3.jpg
 * As I noted, these are non-free media (the NSA used other people's copyrighted images to make these slides). Hence they don't conform to the featured picture criteria. My thought was to put them in place of the day's featured picture; the "today's featured picture" heading could be changed to indicate that they do not have a featured picture designation. WP:NFCC would have to be satisfied; some sourced commentary about the slides may suffice. I realise that including non-free content on the main page will be controversial, but found these slides memorable so I feel they are worth consideration nonetheless. &mdash; rybec 20:43, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * DigiGes PRISM Yes we scan - Demo am Checkpoint Charlie June 2013.jpg "Yes we scan" protest at Checkpoint Charlie


 * Funkturm Berlin View 13.jpg Berlin Field Station, defunct United States Army Security Agency or NSA listening post on Teufelsberg hill in Berlin
 * NSA-Station Teufelsberg (2009).jpg Berlin Field Station, Quality Image
 * This is not a Featured Picture, but it's been evaluated as a Quality Image on Commons. &mdash; rybec 17:44, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Thankyou Rybec for that clarification. ✅--Coin945 (talk) 18:16, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * If anyone feels like nominating this for FP, the description should be checked for accuracy first. The site seems to have been run first by the US army then by the NSA. &mdash; rybec 10:04, 17 January 2014 (UTC)


 * top secret slide reading "Why are we interested in HTTP? Because nearly everything a typical user does on the Internet uses HTTP" with Wikipedia logo, among others

"On This Day" for Feb 11

 * 2014 – The Day We Fight Back (pictured), a protest opposing NSA mass surveillance, begins.
 * Better under "on this day", I think. --HectorMoffet (talk) 14:22, 15 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Good point, moved. I'm not sure about the standards for "On this day" so feel free to provide an alternate phrasing. <font style="padding:1px 2px;background:#ADE6E1;border:1px solid"> Ross Hill <font style="padding:1px 5px;background:black;"> Talk to me!  16:09, 15 January 2014 (UTC)
 * OTD includes events from previous years. Even events from one year ago usually are regarded as ineligible, with the two-year anniversary considered the start of eligibility.  —David Levy 22:45, 15 January 2014 (UTC)
 * So should this be moved back to the DYK section? <font style="padding:1px 2px;background:#ADE6E1;border:1px solid"> Ross Hill <font style="padding:1px 5px;background:black;"> Talk to me!  23:34, 15 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Yes (with different formatting). —David Levy 01:24, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Normally, we would never include "today" in 'On this day'. But if we generate consensus to hold a 'special day', I think we could potentially include "today" in the "On this day" box. Or we can put it in ITN.  Or DYK.  :)  We'll figure it out. --HectorMoffet (talk) 00:43, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Including a current event in OTD would essentially break the section. ITN is for current/recent events, but it's doubtful that this one will generate sufficient media coverage to meet that section's criteria (and if it does, we won't know until after the fact).  —David Levy 01:24, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * I should just chime in to say I'm in a mindset of "there's no judgements in brainstorming"; Which isn't to disparage you-- "behind every great writer there is an even greater editor" and your feedback is very very helpful.  I just want to clarify that I'm taking a shotgun approach to this process, creating the widest possible menu of options for the community to choose from.    I have no idea where the wisdom of our community will ultimately fall.  At this point, I don't even know which of my own proposals I'd support. --HectorMoffet (talk) 14:32, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * The campaign is not that notable in its own right and we would be giving it too much credt to give it a slot on the main page. In the DYK section, possibly. But ITN or OTD? No. --Coin945 (talk) 15:51, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * 2008 – The controversial FRA law is enacted by the Parliament of Sweden, allowing warrantless wiretaps of all telephone and Internet traffic that crosses Sweden's borders.
 * Is this connected to an anniversary of Feb 11? --HectorMoffet (talk) 02:12, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * No, the article says it was passed on 18 June. &mdash; rybec
 * --Coin945 (talk) 15:51, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Scratch that. Did not even occur on February 11th. --Coin945 (talk) 15:51, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * 2001 – The controversial Patriot Act is enacted by the United States Congress, allowing warrantless wiretaps of telephone records and e-mails in the United States.
 * Is this connected to an anniversary of Feb 11? --HectorMoffet (talk) 02:12, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * No, it was proposed and passed in October 2001. &mdash; rybec

Did not occur on February 11th. --Coin945 (talk) 15:58, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * 1531 – Henry VIII of England is recognized as supreme head of the Church of England. & 1906 – Pope Pius X publishes the encyclical Vehementer Nos.
 * They fit with the theme of seperation of church and state.--Coin945 (talk) 15:14, 14 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Probably not related to the theme quite enough. --Coin945 (talk) 15:58, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * 1764 (250th anniversary) – Joseph Chénier was born. "His [work] Charles IX was kept back for nearly two years by the censor. Chénier attacked the censorship in three pamphlets, and the commotion aroused by the controversy raised keen interest in the piece."
 * Censorship.--Coin945 (talk) 16:15, 14 January 2014 (UTC)
 * I do like the idea of the 250th anniversary. And it is a good censorship story. ✅--Coin945 (talk) 16:10, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * 1790 – The Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers, petitions U.S. Congress for abolition of slavery. & 1861 – American Civil War: United States House of Representatives unanimously passes a resolution guaranteeing noninterference with slavery in any state.
 * Equality.--Coin945 (talk) 15:14, 14 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Showing that political activism can make change for the better? Ehhh.... not such a good choice in retrospect.. ((cross))--Coin945 (talk) 15:58, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * 1794 – First session of United States Senate opens to the public.
 * I wonder if the 113th United States Congress upholds the same values the country was originally founded upon.--Coin945 (talk) 15:14, 14 January 2014 (UTC)
 * 1794 – To avoid charges of being a "Star Chamber", the United States Senate resolved "that the Senate doors be opened" to the public.
 * This one reminds me of the FISA court. &mdash; rybec 05:44, 15 January 2014 (UTC)
 * I feel like this one hits the right tone-- educational and inspirational but not 'pushy'. Elsewhere I'm nominated pointed content and I've nominated cheesy content, but this style is what I think is probably going to work best. --HectorMoffet (talk) 08:45, 15 January 2014 (UTC)
 * I don't understand the hook (because I'm Australian..?) what's a "star chamber"? Anyways I think the event itself is a sound choice, so ✅--Coin945 (talk) 16:10, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * ✅ A sound choice on any Feb 11, and one tied to this year's theme. --17:16, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * 1812 – Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry "gerrymanders" for the first time.
 * Classic political manipulative tactic.--Coin945 (talk) 15:14, 14 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Abuse of power? Probably too tangential now that I think about it. --Coin945 (talk) 15:58, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * 1916 – Emma Goldman is arrested for lecturing on birth control.
 * Freedom of speech.--Coin945 (talk) 15:14, 14 January 2014 (UTC)
 * 1916 – American activist Emma Goldman is arrested and imprisoned for the "crime" of speaking to promote public education of contraception.
 * I do like this illustration of free speech vs. censorship. Would probably change "crime" to then-crime (without the quotation marks). ✅--Coin945 (talk) 15:58, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * AltText:  1916 – American activist Emma Goldman is arrested and imprisoned for the then-crime of speaking to promote public education of contraception.
 * ✅ Good nomination that has been improved by Coin945.  --HectorMoffet (talk) 17:21, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * 1953 – U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower refuses a clemency appeal for Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.
 * An intriguing espionage-related story.--Coin945 (talk) 15:18, 14 January 2014 (UTC)
 * and it checks out &mdash; rybec
 * From a 'messaging' point of view, I worry this is off-message. Giving the A-bomb to Stalin isn't really about mass surveillance or privacy rights. --HectorMoffet (talk) 03:16, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * ties in with the suggested Einstein DYK; NYT says "In the '50s, he made headlines by appealing for clemency for the Rosenbergs" &mdash; rybec
 * Hmm... nice espionage story, but yeah. Too tangential in retrospect. --Coin945 (talk) 16:10, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * 1963 – The CIA's Domestic Operations Division was created.
 * 1963 – The CIA's Domestic Operations Division was created with the purpose of conducting clandestine activities within the United States
 * Nice :) ✅--Coin945 (talk) 16:10, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * 1968 – Memphis Sanitation Strike begins.
 * Protesting for equality? I can see the relevance to the theme. I think this could be worded rather nicely, demonstrating that a protest was held by poeple who noticed what they perceived as wrongdoing by authority and wanted to change it. Whether or not they were right is irrelevant, and it is not our place to say what we think. But we can certainly state the facts. ✅--Coin945 (talk) 16:10, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * 1970 – The film Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed premieres in the US.
 * Another to file under 'cheesy'.  --HectorMoffet (talk) 09:56, 15 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Not quite sure what the relevance is. Am I missing something..? --Coin945 (talk) 16:10, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * This one is very bottom of the barrel.  The title alone can be re-interpreted to have meaning in the present context.     Unless we are really starved for ideas, it's an  --HectorMoffet (talk) 18:00, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * 1971 – 87 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, and Soviet Union, sign the Seabed Arms Control Treaty outlawing nuclear weapons on the ocean floor in international waters.
 * In the midst of the Cold War, these countries overcame their egos for the sake of humanity as a whole.--Coin945 (talk) 15:21, 14 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Terrible suggestion by me. --Coin945 (talk) 16:10, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * 1978 – Censorship: China lifts a ban on works by Aristotle, William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens.
 * Censorship.--Coin945 (talk) 15:21, 14 January 2014 (UTC)
 * 1978 – China, lifting an earlier ban, legalized the reading of works by Aristotle, William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens.
 * I really like this one. ✅--Coin945 (talk) 16:10, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * I likeeh. ✅ --HectorMoffet (talk) 04:17, 17 January 2014 (UTC)
 * 1990 – Nelson Mandela is released from Victor Verster Prison outside Cape Town, South Africa after 27 years as a political prisoner.
 * Nelson Mandela is a prominent figure in human rights issues.--Coin945 (talk) 15:21, 14 January 2014 (UTC)
 * 1990 – Nelson Mandela is released from Victor Verster Prison outside Cape Town, South Africa after 27 years as a political prisoner. Mandela remained on the US Terrorist Watchlist until 2008.
 * I really like this one too. ✅--Coin945 (talk) 16:10, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

Possible connection to spying: when Mandela became president, someone came forward with a claim that the CIA had tipped off the police about his whereabouts, leading to his arrest. &mdash; rybec


 * 1998: The film Good Will Hunting entered the 48th Berlin International Film Festival, winning a Silver Bear award.
 * Cheesy, but just in case we ever want something lighthearted but very very tangentially related. --HectorMoffet (talk) 08:35, 15 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Again, o.O? --Coin945 (talk) 16:10, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * 1914: Dutch parliamentary historian and constitutional lawyer Frans Jozef Ferdinand Marie Duijnstee is born. 
 * I don't think 100th anniversary is enough. If this were not a themed day, sure. But it doesn't really fit with the theme. --Coin945 (talk) 16:10, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

Featured list(s) for Feb 11
Just in case we decide to include it.--Coin945 (talk) 14:56, 14 January 2014 (UTC)

Currently Featured Lists
Benjamin Franklin, the 6th President of Pennsylvania, was a strong advicator of freedom of speech. In 1722 he said: "In those wretched countries where a man cannot call his tongue his own, he can scarce call anything his own. Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech ... Without freedom of thought there can be no such thing as wisdom, and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech, which is the right of every man ..."
 * Above proposed by Coin945.
 * I like this one very much. Jehochman Talk 20:46, 14 January 2014 (UTC)
 * So ... but could we have a Featured List instead of the Today's Featured Article in the Featured Article space? &mdash; Cirt (talk) 23:36, 14 January 2014 (UTC)
 * I also like this once very much, but propose alternate text featuring the oft-quoted "They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." --HectorMoffet (talk) 01:12, 15 January 2014 (UTC)
 * ALT 1: Benjamin Franklin, the 6th President of Pennsylvania, was a strong advocate of Liberty and of the Freedom of Speech. In 1755, Franklin wrote "They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."  This quote was later used as a motto on the title page of a book published by Franklin.'
 * This is not a featured article, but rather a featured list, which incidentally contains no content whatsoever about Benjamin Franklin aside from listings in a couple tables. I get the idea behind this suggestion, but this isn't a good way to get there IMO. Maralia (talk) 16:55, 15 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Does anyone feel like getting United States Bill of Rights to FA? :P--Coin945 (talk) 17:31, 15 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Again, List of Governors of Pennsylvania is not a Featured Article, but a List. Therefore, it cannot appear in the TFA section. &mdash; Cirt (talk) 04:50, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * I think that my original wording was way too rhetorical and i could imagine an american flag waving in the background as i read it aloud. But I still like my idea. It's a great quote. ✅--Coin945 (talk) 16:34, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * Something about the film True Lies being all about espionage. Arnold Schwarzenegger filmography--Coin945 (talk) 15:34, 14 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Very tangentially related. There are much better ideas. --Coin945 (talk) 16:34, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * George Orwell bibliography -- proposed. There've been lots of references lately to Nineteen Eighty-Four. &mdash; Cirt (talk) 23:44, 14 January 2014 (UTC)
 * I really like the idea of talking about Big Brother / 1984. I'll support it here, but really if the topic gets included anywhere it will be a valuable addition IMO. ✅--Coin945 (talk) 16:34, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * List of notable people under FVEY surveillance (Featured list candidate)

Not currently Featured Lists

 * List of government surveillance projects
 * Have no time to get it to FA. --Coin945 (talk) 16:34, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

Sitenotice for Feb 11
Any banner to be featured on every article needs extreme scrutiny from a diverse sampling of our community. Banners may point to the main page, to a special statement about Surveillance Awareness Day, both, or neither.

Proposals

 * "Imagine a world without privacy..." #|Learn more
 * Past communications have used the phrasing (First "Imagine a world in which every single person on the planet is given free access to the sum of all human knowledge" and later "Imagine a world without Wikipedia"...) --HectorMoffet (talk) 21:40, 14 January 2014 (UTC)


 * "Mass spying is a grave threat to a free and open Internet. Surveillance stifles dissent, empowers governments at the cost of individual liberties, and challenges our basic right to privacy"
 * Rough draft text from TheDayWeFightBack.org
 * Hm, I don't think we can really take a position on those things. Implying that stifling dissent is a bad thing, that individual liberties (beyond those necessary to sustain Wikipedia) are a good thing, or that people have a "basic right to privacy", seems to go quite a bit far away from NPOV. --Yair rand (talk) 07:05, 15 January 2014 (UTC)
 * I agree that the banner text will be the more crucial and hardest to nail down, as it will affect the most people.  That said, the banner doesn't have to be NPOV-- the whole point of putting it in a banner would be for the community to, however subtly, editorialize.  But we have to do it "our way", which is way more low key than DemandProgress's tone.
 * So I don't expect we'll be able to just take TheDayWeFightBack's text and paste it onto our banner. We're more educators than we are activists. --HectorMoffet (talk) 07:24, 15 January 2014 (UTC)
 * My first thought is that it might be too many words for a banner. My second is that it over-emphasises the Internet. CCTV, ANPR, spy satellites, mobile phone tracking and storage of phone call metadata are important too. How about "mass surveillance stifles dissent, empowers governments at the cost of individual liberties, and challenges our basic right to privacy"? &mdash; rybec 23:58, 17 January 2014 (UTC)


 * John Q Madeupname is reading the Wikipedia article on potentially embarrassing topic. #|Learn more.
 * If we do a sitenotice (and I'm not yet convinced that we should) this is my attention getting suggestion. The link would explain that we don't actually track what you are reading, and we don't think that governments should either, blah blah blah. I'm sure we can come up with plenty of different articles which people might not want others to know they are reading for whatever reason (bedwetting, divorce, Depictions of Muhammad...) the wub talk
 * Yes, this one is funny but the destination page does need to say that we're just kidding and we haven't changed the privacy policy. &mdash; rybec


 * "Total Information Awareness was discontinued by the United States government in 2003. Today, we are bringing it back for a moment, so that we will be totally aware of how globalized surveillance is affecting all of society. #|Learn more"?!"]] 23:34, 15 January 2014 (UTC)

It has three links, two of which go to unassessed articles. The global surveillance article, at roughly 11,500 words, is a bit longer than the maximum recommended size (see WP:SIZESPLIT). Besides that, we'd also offer the TIA page and a third page? Could be too much reading material. &mdash; rybec


 * "Wikipedia has chosen February 11 to put mass surveillance in the spotlight. #|Learn more
 * "Today, Wikipedia is putting mass surveillance in the spotlight. #|Learn more
 * Very very neutral, no advocacy, just the facts. HectorMoffet (talk) 03:41, 16 January 2014 (UTC)
 * This strikes a good balance.  petrarchan47  t  c   23:24, 17 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Scratch that, I didn't realize this was open for editorializing. I would go with something more informative. From some questions and comments I've seen, there really is a lack of awareness about this subject.  petrarchan47  t  c   00:36, 18 January 2014 (UTC)


 * The banner shows a map with Fort Meade, Maryland on one side and Ashburn, Virginia on the other. The Wikipedia logo appears over Ashburn, and the NSA logo over Ft. Meade. The words "today, take a look at the listeners" appear (perhaps calling to mind quis custodiet ipsos custodes?). Or, something like that but not animated (easier to make and less annoying). Note, the links I put here aren't supposed to be in the banner itself. &mdash; rybec

Official statement for Feb 11
We need a serious, highly-polished statement explaining why we're taking any special action on February 11. In contrast to other content, this statement should be minimally controversial and reflect the widest possible spectrum of points of view. This statement should have the support of Jimmy Wales, our board, and be polished by our foundation staff.

Proposals

 * Proposal: "Wikipedia's mission is to disseminate information from all branches of knowledge. Today, on 11 February 2014, we are placing the spotlight on global surveillance and the right to privacy.
 * (Possible addition - "This is critically important because a significant portion of writers are self-censoring their work after learning about the recent surveillance disclosures in the news media.1").
 * Survey: 1 in 6 writers have self-censored because of NSA surveillance
 * Comment: writers supply the encyclopedia's lifeblood. If one in six are changing their ways due to surveillance, this directly effects Wikipedia.  petrarchan47  t  c   22:00, 16 January 2014 (UTC)


 * "The freedom to read and learn what you wish, without being spied upon, is a fundamental human right which is core to everything that we do and everything that we stand for."
 * A Jimmy Wales quote that may be useful.

Reading list
Please post your interesting links below:


 * The NSA can spy on computers not connected to the internet. (What isn't said here is that anyone not identified as a particular American is a foreign intelligence target...)
 * Wired editorial on companies buying access to in-home sensors
 * How the NSA Almost Killed the Internet "Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and the other tech titans have had to fight for their lives against their own government."
 * NSA has had total access to Apple iPhone since 2008 using DROPOUTJEEP
 * Schneier on Security (Bruce Schneier)
 * Entries Tagged "NSA"
 * Entries Tagged "exploit of the day"
 * How the NSA Threatens National Security - The Atlantic (Bruce Schneier) mirror
 * The Internet of Things Is Wildly Insecure — And Often Unpatchable - Wired (Bruce Schneier)
 * The Internet of Crap - I, Cringely (Robert X. Cringely)
 * Inside TAO: Documents Reveal Top NSA Hacking Unit - Der Spiegel
 * NSA's Secret Toolbox: Unit Offers Spy Gadgets for Every Need - Der Spiegel
 * Shopping for Spy Gear: Catalog Advertises NSA Toolbox - Der Spiegel
 * Your USB cable, the spy: Inside the NSA’s catalog of surveillance magic - Ars Technica
 * Dell, others named in NSA spying program - iTnews
 * Glenn Greenwald: The NSA Can "Literally Watch Every Keystroke You Make" - Democracy Now!
 * Tech companies investigate reports of NSA backdoors in products - SC Magazine
 * Possible link discovered that ties together Wi-Fi routers with backdoors - SC Magazine
 * elvanderb/TCP-32764
 * Dual_EC_DRBG Backdoor: a Proof of Concept - Slashdot
 * Dual_Ec_Drbg backdoor: a proof of concept (archive.org mirror)
 * Joseph Nacchio
 * Kerckhoffs's principle
 * The Internet’s Own Boy - Film on Aaron Swartz
 * The Internet’s Own Boy: Film on Aaron Swartz Captures Late Activist’s Struggle for Online Freedom - Democracy Now!


 * Specific to US
 * How the NSA makes the nation insecure
 * NSA surveillance may cost $180 billion
 * Obama Backs Off Real NSA Reform
 * Surveillance ruled legal
 * Review: NSA Data Have No Impact on Terrorism
 * NSA program stopped no terror attacks, says White House panel member
 * Petition to release Justin Carter
 * Gaming magazine editorial on the case (What is interesting is that the author explicitly suggests the Chinese solution, namely roughing up offensive posters at the police station.  If this is the path the U.S. means to go, perhaps they should pay the PRC to send political advisors...)
 * Barrett Brown prosecution
 * Burglars in 1971 FBI office break-in come forward after 43 years Early evidence of COINTELPRO "Among a huge stash of confidential documents the group retrieved were secrets about the FBI’s blanket surveillance of the peace and civil rights movement, the tactics of disinformation and deception the bureau used to silence protesters and even an attempt by agents to have Martin Luther King commit suicide." See also: NYT (video)




 * Outside US


 * German Intelligence Sends Massive Amounts of Data to the NSA


 * Spain colluded in NSA spying on its citizens, Spanish newspaper reports


 * Norway Monitored Phone Traffic and Shared Data With NSA


 * Sweden aids NSA-led hacking ops: report


 * Espionnage : la France aurait collaboré avec la NSA (Espionage: France collaborates with the NSA)


 * Snowden leak confirms Denmark spying deal with US


 * NSA asked Japan to tap regionwide fiber-optic cables in 2011


 * Australia collecting data for NSA, leaks show


 * US and UK struck secret deal to allow NSA to 'unmask' Britons' personal data


 * CSIS asked foreign agencies to spy on Canadians, kept court in dark, judge says

Implementation options
Draft of major options for potential guidelines for Feb 11 has been created. Please improve it or add to it, especially if you support an option not described within the draft.

General discussion

 * Wikipedia is not the place for political advocacy of any kind. It is a neutral encyclopedia. Ramaksoud2000 (Talk to me) 22:53, 18 January 2014 (UTC)
 * . The anti-SOPA blackout was one thing. That protest wasn't completely well received, but at least copyright law has a very direct connection to the functioning of this website. The connections between government surveillance and Wikipedia are too tenuous to me to support. Any change in the normal order of operations on the Main Page needs an RfC to implement.  Imzadi 1979  →   03:47, 23 January 2014 (UTC)

Things You Can Do
You don't need Wikidebates, "consensus", or rule changes to take action now to raise public awareness of these issues! There are many ways to work within the rules of Wikipedia to ensure that we do not disappoint people who want to research the issues involved on February 11:


 * T:DYK's. Start an article and get it featured.  You can even request them to hold an article for February 11.  How do you find new articles to start?  Just read http://thedaywefightback.org/ and http://thedaywefightback.reddit.com/ !  Write about the bills they mention, the USA Freedom Act (now headed into DYK) and the FISA Improvement Act.  Read the relevant news links above and look at where they come from - for example, the PEN report  put out by the The FDR Group (no, not The FDR Project).  Our coverage of these issues, like most things, is still more misses than hits, and you can change that.


 * WP:WikiProjects. Join an existing project like WP:WikiProject Freedom of Speech, WP:WikiProject Internet.  Or join some defunct ones like WP:WikiProject Intelligence Agency, WP:WikiProject FBI, and WP:WikiProject Cyberlaw.  You can revive them, focus them toward your particular interests, perhaps even merge and relabel them as a unified WP:WikiProject Mass Surveillance or something.  There are a few WikiProjects like WP:MED that are extremely organized and vocal in imposing their agenda - please don't go that far, but certainly you can have a voice in ensuring we cover these ideas the best we can, and that relevant sources (such as leaks) are not wrongly excluded from articles.


 * WP:Portals. There's a Portal:Intelligence that has had the same Selected Article since [2011].  Do you suppose it's time for an upgrade?  Play with theirs or start Portal:The Day We Fight Back, either way you can have the custom Main Page you're dreaming of, not as some mock-up for debate but as a link you can send out on your favorite social networks and try to get featured on The Day We Fight Back site itself.


 * And of course, above all, don't forget the importance of humdrum ordinary editing to keep our articles up to date and with better detail. We can make a splash on one day or another if we want, but the water we're using trickles in one edit at a time from ordinary people all over the world, and we should always respect that above all else.