Wikiscanner Reveals Shocking Editors
Ben Preiss — August 20, 2007 — Pop Culture
References: news.yahoo & news.bbc
An American hacker's program called "Wikiscanner" that traces the source of Wikipedia edits has fingered the CIA and the Vatican. The CIA was its usual evasive mode when it came to answering questions saying only "While I cannot confirm whether any changes were made from CIA computers, the agency always expects its computer systems to be used responsibly" and the Vatican closed all its doors and windows and pretended like no one was home.
Implications - But it's not just major institutions like the CIA and the Vatican that are responsible for editing their own Wikipedia pages. The profiles of former CIA Cheif Porter Goss and superceleb Oprah Winfrey were altered by people viewed as sympathetic to them. There is also rumors that a computer owned by the US Democratic Party was used to make changes to the site of major talk radio host, Rush Limbaugh.
Implications - But it's not just major institutions like the CIA and the Vatican that are responsible for editing their own Wikipedia pages. The profiles of former CIA Cheif Porter Goss and superceleb Oprah Winfrey were altered by people viewed as sympathetic to them. There is also rumors that a computer owned by the US Democratic Party was used to make changes to the site of major talk radio host, Rush Limbaugh.
Trend Themes
1. Traceable Wikipedia Edits - The use of programs like Wikiscanner enables the tracing of edits made by major institutions and individuals on Wikipedia, highlighting the need for transparency and accountability.
2. Institutional Self-editing - Major institutions such as the CIA and the Vatican are implicated in editing their own Wikipedia pages, raising questions about authenticity and bias in online information.
3. Political Manipulation of Wikipedia - The alleged use of a computer owned by the US Democratic Party to edit the Wikipedia page of a prominent talk radio host demonstrates the potential for political manipulation and misinformation on the platform.
Industry Implications
1. Digital Transparency Tools - The development of tools and software that enable the tracking and tracing of edits made on online platforms like Wikipedia presents opportunities for entrepreneurs in the digital transparency industry.
2. Online Information Verification - The incidents of institutional self-editing on Wikipedia highlights the need for innovative solutions that can verify the accuracy and integrity of online information, creating opportunities for the information management industry.
3. Digital Media and Politics - The use of Wikipedia as a platform for political manipulation underscores the importance of developing strategies and technologies to address the impact of digital media on politics, positioning the political consulting industry to offer innovative solutions.
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