[Foundation-l] The 'Undue Weight' of Truth on Wikipedia (from the Chronicle) + some citation discussions

[Jussi-Ville Heiskanen]

The key problem here is that WP:UNDUE was expressly written to address
the problem of genuine ongoing controversies, and fringe views. In
this case there is no ongoing controversy, but the use of the policy
has for long been used to remove new research no-one has even refuted,
much less there being an intractable controversy over the issue.

It is equally clear that some portions of the policy have been
wilfully wordsmithed so  it could be used outside the original intent.
There is plenty of meticulously sourced new information that has been
challenged and removed from wikipedia because of this. It is only now
that this subverted use of the policy runs headlong into this kind of
glaringly obvious example of it's misuse that people are taking
notice. And taking notice of it in the wrong way.

Correcting the act, but not the root cause. In fact, if I wanted to
retain the ability to use the policy in precisely this manner, I would
be very quick about making sure the issue were quickly settled, so
there never arose a genuine review of the policy and its uses. The
fact that the policy is used in this fashion daily if not hourly.
Those (ab)uses just haven't been as glaringly obvious. I suspect we
all know that deep within our hearts, but loathe to go through the
tedium of overhauling a policy page with such deep devotees.


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Jussi-Ville Heiskanen, ~ [[User:Cimon Avaro]]