[Foundation-l] Proposal for Wikikids

[Ray Saintonge]

Achim Raschka wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> I want to start a new Wikiproject called Wikikids. After a starting 
> phase it should be a Wikipedia from children for children. The 
> following proposal I posted at http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikikids 
> an http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Proposals_for_new_projects#Wikikids 
> but there seems to be no reaction. It would be great if we can discuss 
> this at the projects discussion page at Meta.
>
> Wikikids should be a Wikipedia-version for children aged between eight 
> an sixteen years. After a starting phase when adults will construct 
> the Wiki together with children it should be a Wikipedia from children 
> for children. The idea is to have articles in a simple language 
> without much scientific words and other stuff. The themes should be 
> specific for children´s interests.
>
> As a new project Wikikids will have the same starting problems any 
> other project has too. It is thought, that Wikikids will be a 
> Wikipedia in the full control of kids between 8 and 16 years old and 
> also the sysos of this project will be children too. At the starting 
> phase there will be some adults to help constructing the Wiki and get 
> a start in writing the articles, but that should be as long as there 
> are enough children to take control. From that time on, adults will be 
> allowed to write articles inbetween the rules of Wikikids (first of 
> all: simple language), but they will be users like any others under 
> the control of children administration.
>
> Problems
>
> There are some problems to be discussed, but I think, it will be 
> possible to handle them. For example there should be the problems of
>    * what is an encyclopedia, what kind of aricles should be find in 
> an encyclopedia?
>    * how about the copyrights of articles and pictures?
>    * ...

One major problem that is not mentioned, is how do you know when someone 
is between 8 and 16 years old, except when they tell you.  I am long 
past 16, but what's to prevent me from saying that I qualify.  How can 
this be reconciled with the right to edit anonymously, which is one of 
the important features of a wiki.

Ec