This is the problem with #Wikipedia.
It makes a factual claim, because a source deemed "reputable" says so.
Then, someone in the talk page straight up proves it to be wrong. And what happens?
Editor says "your proof is convincing, but it's original research, therefore we cannot use it."
And the falsehood remains on Wikipedia for 7 more years after that; still counting.
(It's not seen in the screenshot, but I've checked in the history; the proof was posted in 2018.)
Sure, just an obscure topic in this case; who cares who coined the term "open source" anyway.
But what do you do when "reputable" media publishes falsehoods on more important topics? It's not like this doesn't happen.
Wikipedians could defend themselves by saying "it's the media's fault; we merely sum up the information that comes from them." But that's a shitty defense.
You've set up your rules so that STRAIGHT UP PROVING something to be wrong doesn't count on your website. AND these potentially false (even KNOWN to be false) claims are made in a factual, encyclopedic tone.
Worse yet, you curate a list of outlets in your rule book that are considered reputable or not, based on guess what. The original research of Wikipedians.
Either use more honest wording, saying "media outlet X claims..." or allow original research to count for *something*.
The way Wikipedia is structured right now, it often just functions as a propaganda machine: Declare certain people and organizations to be authority, and repeat their claims in a factual, seemingly objective tone, pretending like it's proven facts, even if the opposite is the case.
There's actually a rule on Wikipedia saying "use common sense" but I guess nobody cares about it.
Do you agree that the backbone of modern digital services should be a Digital Public Infrastructure?
Just started the English #Wikipedia article about it. Feel free to read it, copy edit and improve it!
https://post.lurk.org/@rra/113873611500414068
tags: #wikipedia
to: https://mas.to/users/teclista
In light of US tech oligarchy setting its sights on Wikimedia Foundation, a historical detail I did not know before: #Wikipedia became the non-profit it is today partly as the result of a labour strike of Spanish Wikipedia editors who disagreed with the proposed inclusion of advertisements. Initially, it was not clear what revenue model Wikipedia would get, and Wales moved towards a for-profit model already a year after launch. However, rather than working for free, so Jimmy Wales could profit from their labour via advertising, Spanish contributors forked Spanish Wikipedia as the Encyclopedia Libre Universal. Under the threat of losing the editorial community of such a large language, Wales conceded and set up the non-profit.
That is to say, however imperfect they are, all the digital commons we have are the result of ongoing struggle and hard work to keep them as commons.
Via Las Redes Son Nuestras (https://www.consonni.org/es/publicaciones/las-redes-son-nuestras) by @teclista
Update with more info:
Wow this struck a chord, it seems I was not the only one who was not aware of this story!
Some additional info:
@teclista shared that the protagonists are on the fedi as well (of course they are!):
https://mas.to/@teclista/113872887620692513@__nate__ wrote about the episode in several papers (for example: https://networkcultures.org/cpov/2011/01/15/spanish_fork/) and also a book: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/W/bo19085555.html
@rwg also wrote about the episode in a book:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt14bssk4.9"in the light of US tech oligarchy setting its sights on Wikimedia Foundation" was referring to things such as https://hachyderm.io/@molly0xfff/113868325221306547
Finally, I don't have a soundcloud to promote, but I'd really like to see the first paid position for Trust & Safety on the fediverse get funded:
https://givebutter.com/givingmastodonplease chip in if you care about digital commons
tags: #Wikipedia #elonmusk #uspol #uspolitics
Then, Musk amplified an erroneous and months-outdated claim that Bill Clinton had been deleting information about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein from Wikipedia.
tags: #Wikipedia #elonmusk #uspol #uspolitics
Recent tweets by Elon Musk, Libs of Tiktok, Mario Nawfal, and others have claimed that Wikipedia is spending “$50 million for DEI”, misrepresenting Wikipedia’s actual budget and financial statements to claim Wikipedia is now “Wokepedia”.
tags: #Wikipedia #elonmusk #uspol #uspolitics
The world's richest man has joined a growing chorus of right-wing voices attacking Wikipedia as part of an intensifying campaign against free and open access information. Why do they hate it so much?
https://www.citationneeded.news/elon-musk-and-the-rights-war-on-wikipedia/
I just donated to #wikipedia, because #SpaceKaren doesn't want me to.
tags: #circleoflife #creativecommons #wikimedia #wikipedia
wikimedia:
UNLIMITED WIKIPEDIA SIPHONING STARTING 100K USD PER YEAR. AND BRO, TRAIN WHATEVER YOU WANT WITH IT IT'S FREE CULTURE! LOL. CHECK OUR COLLAB WITH HUGGING FACE MY DUDES. AI4LYFE!
https://enterprise.wikimedia.com
also wikimedia:
oh noooes... nasty ai generated content is littering our commons, who has time on the weekend to volunteer and clean up wikipedia pages? *sniffle*
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_AI_Cleanup
what. a. circus.
Today's wikipedia article is Gay Robot