Wikipedia enhances rules against paid edits

Victor Barreiro Jr.

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Wikipedia enhances rules against paid edits
Wikipedia now requires editors to disclose their 'employer, client, and affiliation with respect to any contribution' for which they receive, or expect to receive, compensation

MANILA, Philippines – Wikipedia is moving ahead with plans to enhance its rules against companies or other entities paying people to edit articles on the crowd-sourced Internet encyclopedia. 

The Wall Street Journal reported Monday, June 16, that Wikipedia updated its terms of use and now requires those paid to edit articles to disclose their arrangements.

According to Katherine Maher, Wikimedia Foundation’s chief communications officer, the changes address the undercurrent among volunteer editors that Wikipedia is “not an advertising service; we’re an encyclopedia.”

The current terms of use have been updated as of June 16, with a specific reference to editorial disclosures. The terms of use state Wikipedia prohibits “engaging in deceptive activities, including misrepresentation of affiliation, impersonation, and fraud.”

Editors must disclose their “employer, client, and affiliation with respect to any contribution for which you receive, or expect to receive, compensation, either by stating it on the user page, stating it on the talk page accompanying paid contributions, or stating it in the edit summary accompanying paid contributions.”

The move hopes to stem the tide of fake or otherwise misleading accounts used to deceive editors.

The Wall Street Journal cited that last year, several hundred accounts may have been used to deceive Wikipedia’s editors about the user’s true identities. Wikipedia says the changes made by the accounts were connected to “a group of hired writers.” Rappler.com

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Victor Barreiro Jr.

Victor Barreiro Jr is part of Rappler's Central Desk. An avid patron of role-playing games and science fiction and fantasy shows, he also yearns to do good in the world, and hopes his work with Rappler helps to increase the good that's out there.