[WikiEN-l] Wikipedia as a primary source

[Slim Virgin]

> > Erik Moeller wrote:
> >> It is increasingly common that subjects of articles wish to interact
> >> directly with us and tell us that their article is wrong in some way.
> >> It is, in my opinion, silly for us to reject even harmless corrections
> >> on the grounds that they cannot be traced to a reliable source.

The policy on sources, WP:ATT, allows self-published sources to be
used in biographies of living persons. This means we can use the
subject's personal website or blog, so if someone wants to address an
issue in their Wikipedia article, they only have to publish it
themselves on their blog first, which anyone can set up at no cost.

The reason we require this is so that readers can check that X really
does say what we say he says, and also so that the subject is making a
public commitment to that version of events, which we are simply
repeating.

In order to prevent the subject's Wikipedia article from becoming, in
effect, an extension of his personal website (he publishes something
on his blog so that it ends up on Wikipedia), we've built in some
safeguards, namely that the material shouldn't be contentious or
unduly self-serving, and shouldn't involve claims about third parties
or events not directly related to the subject. Also, articles are not
allowed to be based on such primary sources.

It seems to work pretty well in that it allows subjects a right of
reply or opportunity to correct factual errors, while ensuring that we
don't become first publishers, and that Wikipedia biographies don't
turn into platforms for their subjects' views.

Sarah