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_ News Worth Discussing _ How To Spot Airbrushed Wikipedia Entries - Discovery News

Posted by: Newsfeed


<img alt="" height="1" width="1" />http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNE_PLDsL0fFbqwrpSajALAICN7v-w&url=http://news.discovery.com/tech/how-to-read-wikipedia-wisely-120208.html
Discovery News
The encyclopedia anyone can edit can also be the resource anybody can question. The latest case of alleged Wikipedia abuse: Last week, BuzzFeed reported that Newt Gingrich's staffers had repeatedly edited entries for the candidate and his wife Callista ...

http://news.google.com/news/more?ncl=dd7QWNpF0clKCJM&ned=us

http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNE_PLDsL0fFbqwrpSajALAICN7v-w&url=http://news.discovery.com/tech/how-to-read-wikipedia-wisely-120208.html

Posted by: thekohser

Thank you, Rob Pegoraro, for helping us spot how http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Georgetown_University_alumni&diff=prev&oldid=430958206 make edits about themselves to Wikipedia.

Posted by: Abd

QUOTE(thekohser @ Wed 8th February 2012, 10:02pm) *
Thank you, Rob Pegoraro, for helping us spot how http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Georgetown_University_alumni&diff=prev&oldid=430958206 make edits about themselves to Wikipedia.
Oh, that kind of COI edit is okay.

Posted by: Selina

Cannot believe I'm almost on the same kind of side or at least against the same group as you for entirely different reasons thekohser smile.gif
http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Corporate_Representatives_for_Ethical_Wikipedia_Engagement#Credit_Where_Due
(Though I guess yeah, the shared point is that Wikipedia really seems incompetent)

Posted by: EricBarbour

QUOTE(Selina @ Fri 17th February 2012, 2:17pm) *

(Though I guess yeah, the shared point is that Wikipedia really seems incompetent)

Just noticed that? If you ever want to be depressed, girl, just say so and I'll PM you a long list
of Wiki-atrocities. Most of them recent, too.

Posted by: thekohser

I think it's pretty funny how a fruitless Facebook group (like CREWE) gets its http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_Representatives_for_Ethical_Wikipedia_Engagement, but (in many cases) an actual business that has millions of dollars in revenues, employing hundreds of people, distributing products far and wide will often not stand a ghost of a chance of having a Wikipedia article.

Posted by: milowent

QUOTE(thekohser @ Sat 18th February 2012, 4:17am) *

I think it's pretty funny how a fruitless Facebook group (like CREWE) gets its http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_Representatives_for_Ethical_Wikipedia_Engagement, but (in many cases) an actual business that has millions of dollars in revenues, employing hundreds of people, distributing products far and wide will often not stand a ghost of a chance of having a Wikipedia article.


this is absurd. since WP:GNG basically adopts a view that whatever newspapers think is of reader interest deserves an article, that's what we get left with. if we had a revenue threshold for companies, we could provide more rational coverage like business websites do.

Posted by: Fusion

QUOTE(milowent @ Tue 13th March 2012, 11:04pm) *

this is absurd. since WP:GNG basically adopts a view that whatever newspapers think is of reader interest deserves an article, that's what we get left with. if we had a revenue threshold for companies, we could provide more rational coverage like business websites do.

So what one needs to do is get two or three articles about a firm into the mainstream media. This can generally be done with a few lunches and suppers. Then behold the firm is notable. Of course once the article is written it needs to be maintained against vandals and other editors. It is best to have monitors in various countries to ensure round the clock coverage and reduce the chances that the monitors are detectable as sockpuppets.



Posted by: milowent

QUOTE(Fusion @ Wed 14th March 2012, 12:56pm) *

So what one needs to do is get two or three articles about a firm into the mainstream media. This can generally be done with a few lunches and suppers. Then behold the firm is notable. Of course once the article is written it needs to be maintained against vandals and other editors. It is best to have monitors in various countries to ensure round the clock coverage and reduce the chances that the monitors are detectable as sockpuppets.


haha. I agree with the first part. people who actually work with media know how you do this. you celebrate your 25th anniversary, celebrate hiring your Xth employee, etc. it might take a little time. you commission a study that is completely dumb but gets picked up by the AP because its "interesting." of course, none of this really helps your company succeed by itself. so if you're a manufacturing concern that services other companies, you may not care if you have a wikipedia article. but wikipedians should care. but few wikipedians worry if we have articles on very large companies that don't make ipads.

Posted by: thekohser

QUOTE(milowent @ Wed 14th March 2012, 11:07am) *

...you commission a study that is completely dumb but gets picked up by the AP because its "interesting."

I wish I could talk to the market research clown who ran http://www.heinz.com/our-company/press-room/press-releases/press-release.aspx?ndmConfigId=1012072&newsId=20030508005476 survey!

Posted by: Versa

QUOTE(thekohser @ Wed 14th March 2012, 11:12am) *

QUOTE(milowent @ Wed 14th March 2012, 11:07am) *

...you commission a study that is completely dumb but gets picked up by the AP because its "interesting."

I wish I could talk to the market research clown who ran http://www.heinz.com/our-company/press-room/press-releases/press-release.aspx?ndmConfigId=1012072&newsId=20030508005476 survey!


That was 2003 - and now - almost 9 years later - Ez Marinader is still going strong.

http://www.jackdanielssauces.com/ezmarinader/ez_products.aspx

Posted by: Fusion

QUOTE(thekohser @ Wed 14th March 2012, 6:12pm) *

QUOTE(milowent @ Wed 14th March 2012, 11:07am) *

...you commission a study that is completely dumb but gets picked up by the AP because its "interesting."

I wish I could talk to the market research clown who ran http://www.heinz.com/our-company/press-room/press-releases/press-release.aspx?ndmConfigId=1012072&newsId=20030508005476 survey!

It was very good for the purpose for which it was intended.

Posted by: thekohser

QUOTE(Fusion @ Thu 15th March 2012, 8:47am) *

QUOTE(thekohser @ Wed 14th March 2012, 6:12pm) *

QUOTE(milowent @ Wed 14th March 2012, 11:07am) *

...you commission a study that is completely dumb but gets picked up by the AP because its "interesting."

I wish I could talk to the market research clown who ran http://www.heinz.com/our-company/press-room/press-releases/press-release.aspx?ndmConfigId=1012072&newsId=20030508005476 survey!

It was very good for the purpose for which it was intended.

Aw, shucks... thanks.