WikiWikiWild

The Wikipedia accountability problem is a really interesting issue. It shows, definitively, how the wikipedia's experiment has both intrinsic risk and intrinsic value, something which must be nurtured, but done so appropriately. It also shows that all you new kids coming up in schools using the Wikipedia as a research source should really, truly, think twice. Assistant to RFK John Seigenthaler found that his Wikipedia biography entry had some terrible errors of fact: suggesting, in no subtle terms, that he'd actually assassinated JFK.

The experiment here had gone awry beyond any usable function- and that's when it's gone too far. The entries in the wikipedia are too numerous and too constantly changing to be mandated as they are, one by one- but that's supposed to be the purpose of it. As an entry is found to be as flawed as this- and intentionally so - it is redacted and rewritten by other users.

At any rate, in the airport today I caught a quick exchange between Seigenthaler, a lifetime proponent of unregulated, unmandated high-quality free speech, and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales. Despite the general ignorance of the project by the CNN host, and to some extent, Seigenthaler, the exhange was fascinating. Seigenthaler wouldn't comment on the validity or value of the project, but he resoundingly stated that it must not be censored or mandated. However, he did state that without accountability for entries, the Wikipedia lacks credibility. And that the further the project goes with these kinds of entries, they may actually promote the agenda of those that want to regulate it.

Interesting stuff going on over there...