Spinning The Internet
Courtesy of the D&C. Did you catch the latest title of an Op-ed the D&C editorial Board - Spinning Wikipedia. Its intent is to brush stroke the Internet with credibility issues by highlighting existing issues with the popular Internet encyclopedia - Wikipedia.
(August 21, 2007) — The on-line encyclopedia Wikipedia is loath to admit it, but slowly, inexorably, its “anyone can edit” standard — the heart and soul of the entire enterprise — is being chipped away by the inability of people to put the broader interest of knowledge and community above self-interest.
[snip]
Users must understand that, first, Wikipedia items rank high in accuracy overall and, second, double- or triple-checking is always is a good idea on the Web.
Trust, but verify. It’s a Cold War dictum that seems to suit Wikipedia and the Internet at large.
Yep - people have attempted to use Wikipedia for PR purposes or to spin their particular view point. If memory serves, in the 2004 election - Bush and Kerry’s pages were modified with opinion not fact.
Wikipedia does have a system in place to find and prevent these things. Sort of like Youtube and copyrighted content. Eventually it gets removed. That is the difference between the living breathing web and oh, say the news printed on dead trees.
Now - in the Pot met Kettle department…
The D&Cs assertion that one must trust and verify - is spot on. Ironically, that is what informed citizens expect from their main stream newspaper. Apply a critical eye rather than creating news from press releases.
Remember the run-up to the Iraq war? Or follow-up to COMIDA and the supposed job creation? The Monroe County Budget? Pick any other local issue.
Do we have any critical analysis of local issues here or specifically allow a critical lens to be repeatedly focused on local issues? Or do we get one shot wonders meaning report a story and let it fall by the wayside?
so right. who is the d and c to criticize anyone? do they check anything before printing it? the sad thing for them is that they just lost their more respectable newsman, and he was their film critic! this is an example of print media grasping at straws to maintain a grip on their waning influence.
this is all music to my ears as one who hates the dumocrat and chronicle. keep pushing back, the d and c is nothing but the bully on the block. their days of quality reporting are long gone, probably for good.
Funny, that this appears on the D&C, just yesterday I received my weekly email update from PRWatch.org and this was one of the main points. Same title as the D&C, I assume the Ed. is on the same mailing list. The original source is The Guardian UK.
Thanks Ghost.
Hey everyone - here is the link to the Guardian article. Which ironically was about corporate accountability.
Check out who the biggest offender is - Diebold!
My pleasure.