Wikimania 2024

Codifying Digital Behavior: A Socio-Legal Study of the Wikimedia Universal Code of Conduct
08-07, 10:00–10:25 (Poland), Dilijan (3) (interpretation)
Language: English

This session presents preliminary findings from a project funded by the Wikimedia Research Fund, aimed at exploring the codification process of the Universal Code of Conduct (UCoC). The research team has examined this codification process, focusing on its origins, structure and the narratives guiding its enforcement. Based on empirical data collected through interviews and document analysis, we investigate the dynamics of the UcoC’s adoption and the debates over its enforcement.


Session recording: https://youtu.be/b0W8f4nhdh8?list=PLhV3K_DS5YfL7A2HXrpt8ZgnWlGjp0vIP&t=1820


How does your session relate to the event themes: Collaboration of the Open?*

The presentation aligns with the conference theme, "Collaboration of the Open," by examining the Universal Code of Conduct (UCoC) within the Wikimedia community, a cornerstone of open collaboration and information sharing. It specifically addresses how the UCoC, as a regulatory framework, is developed and enforced through collaborative processes, embodying the principles of openness and community governance. The research highlights the collective efforts in crafting guidelines that ensure a respectful and inclusive environment, crucial for the sustainability of open digital spaces. By analyzing debates and dynamics around the UCoC's adoption, the presentation contributes to understanding how open communities navigate challenges and evolve through collaboration.

What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?*

Everyone can participate in this session

How do you plan to deliver this session?*

Onsite in Katowice

What other themes or topics does your session fit into? Please choose from the list of tags below.
See also: Presentation F Grisel (6.6 MB)

Florian Grisel is Research Fellow at the French Centre for National Scientific Research (CNRS) and the University of Oxford's Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS). His work explores the convergence of private governance, dispute resolution, and legal globalization through a socio-legal lens. Florian holds degrees from Sciences po Paris (MA), Columbia University (MPA), Yale Law School (LLM) and Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (PhD). His research has been published by journals such as the Law and Society Review, Law and Social Inquiry and the Journal of Law and Society.