Tech News 2026, week 05

Latest *tech news
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News>* from the
Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes.
Not all changes will affect you. Translations
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/05> are
available.

*Updates for editors*

   - Wikimedia Foundation invites comments on proposed future
   <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Product_and_Technology_Advisory_Council/Year1_Reflections_and_Proposed_Way_Forward_2026_Update>
of
   the Product and Technology Advisory Council
   <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Product_and_Technology_Advisory_Council>
until
   28 February.
   - All users with registered accounts can now use passkeys for two-factor
   authentication
   <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Help:Two-factor_authentication>
(2FA).
   Passkeys are a simple way to log in without using a second device. They
   verify the user's identity using a fingerprint, face scan, or a PIN code.
   To set up a passkey, first set up a regular 2FA method. Currently, to log
   in with a passkey, users must also use a password. Later this quarter,
   passwordless login will allow users to log in with a single click and a
   passkey. Users with advanced rights will also be required to have 2FA
   enabled. This is part of the Account Security
   <https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Product_Safety_and_Integrity/Account_Security>
    project.
   - Unregistered contributors on blocked IPs or blocked IP ranges can now
   interact on-wiki to appeal a block by creating a temporary account to
   appeal a block on the user talk page, unless the "prevent this user from
   editing their own talk page" is enabled. This solves the problem of
   logged-out users unable to use the default unblock process via user talk
   page. [1] <https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T398673>
   - View all 20 community-submitted tasks that were resolved last week
   <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently_resolved_community_tasks>.
   For example, the Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) methods description on the
   management page has been updated. It is now clearer and easier for users to
   understand and make use of. [2]
   <https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T332385>

*Updates for technical contributors*

   - A new AbuseFilter variable, account_type, has been added to provide a
   reliable way to determine the account type being created in the
   createaccount and autocreateaccount actions. As part of this change, the
   variable accountname has been renamed to account_name, and accountname is
   now deprecated. Edit filter managers should update any filters that use
   hardcoded account type checks or the deprecated variable. [3]
   <https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T414049>
   - Image thumbnails that are requested in non-standard sizes, and using
   non-standard methods such as direct requests to upload.wikimedia.org/… will
   stop working in the near future. This change is to prevent ongoing external
   abuse by web-scrapers and bots. Some users with custom CSS/JS, Interface
   Admins who can fix gadgets and local skins, and Tool-authors, will need to
   update their code to use standard thumbnail sizes. Details,
   search-links, and examples of how to fix them, are available in the task
   <https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T414805>.
   - Detailed code updates later this week: MediaWiki
   <https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/MediaWiki_1.46/wmf.13>

*Tech news
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News> prepared
by Tech News writers
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers> and
posted by bot
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki_message_delivery>
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-- 
Uzoma Ozurumba (She/her)
Movement Communications Specialist (Product and Tech)
meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:UOzurumba_(WMF)

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