RMF’s Role in RationalWiki

This article was published in January 2011.

RationalWiki is owned and operated by The RationalMedia Foundation; the goal of this article is to highlight and clarify the role of the Foundation, particularly in its relationship with managing the website.

General goals

  • Promote, encourage and support projects that fit with our mission statement
  • Support the development of software that promotes collaborative content creation and community interaction
  • Engage with other organizations and communities with similar values
  • Interact with the media, government officials, private companies, and individuals to promote science, critical thinking, and rational discourse

Role in the RationalWiki site

  • Ensure the availability of both hardware and software infrastructure
  • Keep the content produced safe
  • Provide financial support
  • Create and fill needed technical and management positions
  • Encourage the development of software and tools to support the community
  • Promote the site to the community at large
  • Serve as the primary administrative contact
  • Intercede in legal issues arising over content published on RationalWiki

What the Foundation is not

  • The Foundation does not exercise editorial control over any of the content on RationalWiki
  • The Foundation does not make community policy, oversee governance, or act as the final arbitrator of disputes
  • Content on RationalWiki is not sanctioned by, or an official statement of the Foundation
  • Board members and officers posting on RationalWiki are not doing so in an official capacity unless specifically stated

Long term goals

3 year plan

    • Develop financial, technical, and management independence from the founder
    • Start engaging the media on issues of promoting science and critical thinking

5 year plan

    • Become a major player within communities and between other organizations with similar values
    • Promote policy and rational discourse on a wider level

10 year plan (Let’s dream big!)

    • Become the single largest provider of free content from a scientific and rational perspective
    • Develop global contacts and support to become a major player in policy initiatives related to our mission
    • Be able to help direct the discourse on topics of science and critical thinking around the world
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