From Larry Sanger's blog:
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I want to start a conversation. [...Larry says, in his blog]
I. Problem? What problem?
So, you didn’t know that Wikipedia has a porn problem?
Let me say what I do not mean by “Wikipedia’s porn problem.” I do not mean
simply that Wikipedia has a lot of porn. That’s part of the problem, but
it’s not even the main problem. I’m 100% OK with porn sites. I defend the
right of people to host and view porn online. I don’t even especially mind
that Wikipedia has porn. There could be legitimate reasons why an
encyclopedia might want to have some “adult content.”
No, the real problem begins when Wikipedia features some of the most
disgusting sorts of porn you can imagine, while being heavily used by
children. But it’s even more complicated than that, as I’ll explain.
(Note, the following was co-written by me and several other people. I
particularly needed their help finding the links.)
Here is the short version:
Wikipedia and other websites of the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) host a great
deal of pornographic content, as well as other content not appropriate for
children. Yet, the Wikimedia Foundation encourages children to use these
resources. Google, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and many other high-profile
sites have installed optional filters to block adult content from view. I
believe the WMF sites should at a minimum install an optional, opt-in
filter, as the WMF Board agreed to do in 2011. I understand that the WMF
has recently stopped work on the filter and, after a period of community
reaction, some Board members have made it clear that they do not expect
this filter to be finished and installed. Wikipedians, both managers and
rank-and-file, apparently do not have enough internal motivation to do the
responsible thing for their broad readership.
But even that is too brief. If you really want to appreciate Wikipedia’s
porn problem, I’m afraid you’re going to have to read the following.
http://larrysanger.org/2012/05/what-should-we-do-about-wikipedias-porn-prob…
Feel free to repost!
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There is further discussion of this, with Larry in attendance, on
Wikipediocracy.com:
http://wikipediocracy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=429
Note that the related thread is in the "Sexualisation" subforum, which is
only accessible to registered Wikipediocracy members. Registration is free
though, and anyone wishing to have a look is welcome to join up and
participate!
http://wikipediocracy.com/forum/
Best,
Andreas