On 8/22/06, Kelly Martin kelly.lynn.martin@gmail.com wrote:
I'd just as soon block the PR firms entirely. Maybe once they get some semblance of a clue, but for now virtually every edit I've seen come from a PR firm has been crap.
Of course... That takes us back to the "then they well just operate in secret" argument.
I guess my counter is: We already have PR firms operating in secret. If we can't deal with secret POV pushing PR firms who can afford to learn the processes schmmoze our editors, then we've already lost. If we can deal with them acting in secret, then there is no reason for us to pretend that you are welcome.
I should bring up that when people come back in secret to edit after we have forbidden them from editing they are committing a crime. Are we honestly discussing how best to accommodate criminals here?
If we are not able to instill in the hearts and minds of the public that vandalizing Wikipedia is no more savory than spray painting the side of your local library, or using Wikipedia to advertise is no more acceptable than sticking ads in the libraries books then we will continue to find ourselves the victims of the worst aspects of human nature.
I believe our experience has shown that people today do behave respectfully with Wikipedia. Average folks are no more likely to vandalize wikipedia then they are likely to key a strangers car. But that respect starts with us respecting ourselves... few people would feel too bad about peeing on a heap of garbage.
So we must always take a public stand to protect Wikipedias integrity even when we know our measures are ineffective against a real bad-guy. Saying NO to the misuse of Wikipedia as a tool to distribute advertising and other biased information is an important part of that stand.
Like many things our rules in this regard should represent a constant effort to work towards a goal. Just as all the Wikipedias contain copyright violations although we forbid them, all will contain some advertising. Our current inability to achieve perfection is no excuse to discontinue fighting the good fight.