[WikiEN-l] preventing COI edits by corporations

[Steven Walling]

Since we're all aware of the magic of the Wiki scanner tool, and the ensuing
media firestorm, how can Wikipedia make substantial and permanent use of
this tool? This shouldn't just be a toy for journalists to create a scoop.

Bored recently, I uncovered some seriously POV edits by the Miller Brewing
Company to its main
article<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Miller_Brewing_Company#COI_and_Wikiscanner>and
to the
Miller Lite article<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Miller_Lite#COI_and_Wiki_scanner>.
I reverted to versions before the company was shown to have edited, and made
some talk page notices. But isn't there a more comprehensive, semi-official
way to prevent such a thing?

Though of course the devil is (as always) in the details, I think creating a
permanent talk page template which can warn users which specific IP
addresses have been linked to the article's subject might be a good idea.
Showcasing in advance the IPs that should not be say, removing critical
content about the odd chemical composition of Miller Lite, might not only
make it easier for Wikipedians to remove COI and POV, but it might
discourage the corporations from making such edits in the first place.

Of course, this could easily be misused. It should in no way be used to
publish personal and private material or real identities. Restricting its
usage to corporate entities, rather than subjects that fall under the BLP,
definitely might be in order.