Hello
Is there a place (I looked on meta and saw nothing) where the situation with regards to paid editing or more generally the practices toward declaration of conflict of interest in all linguistic versions of Wikipedia summarized ?
For example, I more or less know that the English version requires the user to not create an account with the name of his company; requires to basically mention when there is a potential COI; and ask preferably to edit talk pages rather than directly.
I more or less know that the French version does not seem to care if accounts feature a company name (or rather a derivative version of the company name); that indicating a potential COI is better; but that directly editing the wikipedia page is fine.
I have no idea how other languages deal with this.
I was interviewed today by a "journalist" from a historian publication and she asked me what was the status of this for a couple of other languages, in particular Spanish and Italian (I guess she knew these languages, which I do not). I realized I had no idea
If there is a Spanish and/or an Italian person around, I would be happy to know.
But more generally, would not it be interesting to gather somewhere (uh, meta) the current practices with regards to COIs ?
Florence
On Wed, Sep 19, 2012 at 10:08 AM, Florence Devouard anthere9@yahoo.comwrote:
Hello
Is there a place (I looked on meta and saw nothing) where the situation with regards to paid editing or more generally the practices toward declaration of conflict of interest in all linguistic versions of Wikipedia summarized ?
For example, I more or less know that the English version requires the user to not create an account with the name of his company; requires to basically mention when there is a potential COI; and ask preferably to edit talk pages rather than directly.
I more or less know that the French version does not seem to care if accounts feature a company name (or rather a derivative version of the company name); that indicating a potential COI is better; but that directly editing the wikipedia page is fine.
I have no idea how other languages deal with this.
I was interviewed today by a "journalist" from a historian publication and she asked me what was the status of this for a couple of other languages, in particular Spanish and Italian (I guess she knew these languages, which I do not). I realized I had no idea
If there is a Spanish and/or an Italian person around, I would be happy to know.
But more generally, would not it be interesting to gather somewhere (uh, meta) the current practices with regards to COIs ?
Florence
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Conflict_of_interest_editing for a placeholder.
Steven
On 19 September 2012 13:17, Steven Walling steven.walling@gmail.com wrote:
On Wed, Sep 19, 2012 at 10:08 AM, Florence Devouard <anthere9@yahoo.com
wrote:
Hello
Is there a place (I looked on meta and saw nothing) where the situation with regards to paid editing or more generally the practices toward declaration of conflict of interest in all linguistic versions of
Wikipedia
summarized ?
For example, I more or less know that the English version requires the user to not create an account with the name of his company; requires to basically mention when there is a potential COI; and ask preferably to
edit
talk pages rather than directly.
I more or less know that the French version does not seem to care if accounts feature a company name (or rather a derivative version of the company name); that indicating a potential COI is better; but that
directly
editing the wikipedia page is fine.
I have no idea how other languages deal with this.
I was interviewed today by a "journalist" from a historian publication
and
she asked me what was the status of this for a couple of other languages, in particular Spanish and Italian (I guess she knew these languages,
which
I do not). I realized I had no idea
If there is a Spanish and/or an Italian person around, I would be happy
to
know.
But more generally, would not it be interesting to gather somewhere (uh, meta) the current practices with regards to COIs ?
Florence
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Conflict_of_interest_editing for a placeholder.
Just for the record, there's a difference between paid editing and conflict of interest editing. One can easily have a conflict of interest without receiving any financial remuneration.
Risker
On Wed, Sep 19, 2012 at 3:20 PM, Risker risker.wp@gmail.com wrote:
On 19 September 2012 13:17, Steven Walling steven.walling@gmail.com wrote:
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Conflict_of_interest_editing for a placeholder.
Just for the record, there's a difference between paid editing and conflict of interest editing. One can easily have a conflict of interest without receiving any financial remuneration.
And you could be paid to edit without having a conflict of interest. Some wiki-friendly donor could set up an anonymous fund to pay stipends to people to edit wikipedia for a year. funded grad students in wiki studies are close.
Sam
2012/9/20 Samuel Klein meta.sj@gmail.com:
On Wed, Sep 19, 2012 at 3:20 PM, Risker risker.wp@gmail.com wrote:
On 19 September 2012 13:17, Steven Walling steven.walling@gmail.com wrote:
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Conflict_of_interest_editing for a placeholder.
Just for the record, there's a difference between paid editing and conflict of interest editing. One can easily have a conflict of interest without receiving any financial remuneration.
And you could be paid to edit without having a conflict of interest. Some wiki-friendly donor could set up an anonymous fund to pay stipends to people to edit wikipedia for a year. funded grad students in wiki studies are close.
Well.. English Wikipedia defines the conflict of interest on this page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paid_editing_on_Wikipedia
"n the context of Wikipedia, conflict of interest editing is the editing of Wikipedia articles by people whose background means that their motives are likely to conflict with the encyclopedia's neutrality policy. Conflict of interest editing includes paid editing or paid advocacy, when employees, contractors, or those with financial connection to individuals, products, corporations, organizations, political campaigns or governments edit articles related to those subjects. Although these edits may often involve minor factual corrections and changes, significant media attention has revolved around the editing of articles which removes or downplays negative information and adds or highlights positive information by editors with a conflict of interest."
"Wikipedia's conflict of interest guideline states (as of 2012) that a conflict of interest (COI) is an "incompatibility between the aim of Wikipedia, which is to produce a neutral, reliably sourced encyclopaedia, and the aims of an individual editor," and that "COI editing involves contributing to Wikipedia in order to promote your own interests or those of other individuals, companies, or groups. Where advancing outside interests is more important to an editor than advancing the aims of Wikipedia, that editor stands in a conflict of interest."
So, using Wikipedia for paid promoting of a city or a state by pushing placement of the links to the relevant articles on the main page of Wikipedia is or is not a conflict of interest? IMHO - at least potentially there is a conflict of interest. Bear in mind that there is quite long queue for "Did you know" section of main page. So, if you push your (paid) articles using your possition and authority in Wikipedia community, then other, less influential editors must wait longer or the articles nominated/written by them will never appear on the main page. I think the question can be fairly answered by checking how the process of selection happened in case of Gibraltar related articles - if there are proves that there was a kind of unfair advocacy - for example organizing a group of editors to bias the selection process we can say about conflict of interest and unfair behavior.
I can't see the conflict of interest with providing paid QR-code based service with use of Wikipedia content - this is an external feature - and indeed anyone can organize it itself - but paid editing of Wikipedia which results in systematic bias on behalf of the contractor is quite obviously a conflict of interest. Is it possible to do paid editing without putting to Wikipedia systematic bias? Maybe in some cases yes - but IMHO there is very often such a danger even if the resulting articles as read separately are OK.
it.wiki is extremely strict as regards usernames which contain or equal the names of entities or internet domains (blocked on sight); editing articles about yourself is strongly discouraged but not forbidden; COI is a tough matter and there are no clear rules.
Discussions on similar transparency matters (like sockpuppets, reincarnations and assorted stuff) led nowhere, so I think interested users are mostly trying to get outsiders understand how Wikipedia works; a good example is this unofficial "marketing for dummies" guide: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utente:DracoRoboter/Il_marketing_delle_aziende_e_Wikipedia,_for_dummies (warning! it's very draco-style, and if you don't know what I mean be really careful ;-) ). As a good example I can mention "Share your knowledge" which discourages partners from editing articles about themselves or adding links to their website by themselves. Only rare exceptions are suggested: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progetto:GLAM/Come_iniziare#Principi_generali_da_seguire
I'll try to get someone more informed than me to update the Meta page.
Nemo
On Wed, Sep 19, 2012 at 1:34 PM, Federico Leva (Nemo) nemowiki@gmail.com wrote:
it.wiki is extremely strict as regards usernames which contain or equal the names of entities or internet domains (blocked on sight); editing articles about yourself is strongly discouraged but not forbidden; COI is a tough matter and there are no clear rules.
Discussions on similar transparency matters (like sockpuppets, reincarnations and assorted stuff) led nowhere, so I think interested users are mostly trying to get outsiders understand how Wikipedia works; a good example is this unofficial "marketing for dummies" guide: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utente:DracoRoboter/Il_marketing_delle_aziende_e_Wikipedia,_for_dummies (warning! it's very draco-style, and if you don't know what I mean be really careful ;-) ). As a good example I can mention "Share your knowledge" which discourages partners from editing articles about themselves or adding links to their website by themselves. Only rare exceptions are suggested: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progetto:GLAM/Come_iniziare#Principi_generali_da_seguire
I'll try to get someone more informed than me to update the Meta page.
Nemo
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Florence,
This is the guidance I give on my own guide to "Why was my article deleted?" on en.wp (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Seraphimblade/Deletion_FAQ#.7B.7Bdb-spam.7...). It's not a policy, just an FAQ I put together, but this is what I have regarding the deletion of spam/ad articles. Some have told me they found it useful.
{{db-spam}}, G11
The article is clearly written to promote a company, product, organization, website, or really is intended to promote anything. Articles must be neutral in tone, blatantly promotional material will be deleted immediately. While the subject might be suitable for an article if it otherwise passes the notability guidelines, you may not place an ad or puff piece here-period. We strongly discourage editors from editing articles on subjects they have a direct interest in promoting, including articles on the editor him/herself, the editor's company, the editor's employee or employer, the editor's band, etc. Such edits should first be discussed with editors who do not have a conflict of interest.
I think a clearer policy on COI editing would be desirable. Personally, I would like to see a "hard line" approach taken, where COI and/or paid editing disclosure is a requirement rather than a suggested "best practice", such editors are restricted to talk page editing on a mandatory basis, and editors found to be editing with a COI or for pay and not fully disclosing it are banned immediately upon discovery. That's just my opinion though, and does not reflect current policy.
Todd Allen/Seraphimblade, en.wp
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