Wikipedia Considers Tightening Editing Rules After Vandalism

Wikipedia is one of the most visited sites on the internet, boasting an estimated six million visitors per day. The online encyclopedia has always prided itself on letting anyone with an internet connection contribute and edit content. When you visit Wikipedia you can find a wealth of information on almost any person, place or thing that is on this planet and many times beyond. The best part is that if you have some knowledge about a certain person, place or thing, you are free to edit the page and add the content which makes Wikipedia is a totally "online community run" organization. That may all change now after online vandals created erroneous reports about the deaths of Senators Ted Kennedy and Robert Byrd on their Wikipedia pages (source: tech.yahoo.com).

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Whales proposed new restrictions called "Flagged Revisions" that will make it impossible for first time editors and anonymous editors to revise content before it has been reviewed by a seasoned and trusted contributor. The proposal was approved 60-40 in an online poll. Such a measure may seem drastic, but Whales is insistent that this type of thing never happens again (source: tech.yahoo.com).

The proposed measures are bringing much controversy within the Wikipedia forum and Whales has given all that oppose the suggested regulations one week to come up with an alternative. He will then allow for two weeks for the alternatives to be voted on (source: tech.yahoo.com).

Though some may disagree on how the procedure should be done, all agree something must be done. Both Kennedy and Byrd who are suffering from illnesses had to leave a luncheon for President Barack Obama on the day of his inauguration but both have recovered and are still quite alive. While the vandals were successful in editing the pages of the senators to say that they had died, they were corrected within minutes. But with a proposal like "Flagged Revisions" such an act would be stopped before it ever got started (source: tech.yahoo.com).

Whales and other members of the Wikipedia staff are upset at the actions of the online vandals and they have good cause to be. Wikipedia is an invaluable tool for anyone to find a source of information on almost anything you can think of. And they do it for no money as they are a non-profit organization. But like so many other good things in this world, a few rotten apples insist on spoiling the bunch. Hopefully the new measures that are eventually approved are embraced by the Wikipedia community as there is no place for online vandals, but a desperate need for Wikipedia to be around.