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Colbert Report tackles Wikipedia

August 2, 2006 - 4:54pm — Samantha

The Colbert Report from July 31st featured a segment on Wikipedia in which Stephen Colbert encouraged viewers to edit various entries for 'truthiness.' These entries are now locked, by the way. Stephen also coined the new word wikiality, meaning a reality that is easily editable. Good stuff!

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August 3, 2006 - 12:17am — Curmudgeony

What's more disturbing

Is that Wikipedia seems to be burying the story. The concept of Wikiality is being overwritten with a simple redirect. They seem hesitant to even discuss the idea in public. Many of the rewrites are reverted out of existence. Thankfully there seems to be enough talk on this, that it won't just blow over.

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August 3, 2006 - 12:46am — GregS*

Re:What's more disturbing

The fact that people edit stories on wikipedia to their benefit or to the detriment of others is not news. Why should 'wikiality' get special treatment?

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August 3, 2006 - 2:53am — Curmudgeony

Re:What's more disturbing

b/c wikipedia is the one facing possible detriment with such an article?

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes

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August 3, 2006 - 3:27am — GregS*

Re:What's more disturbing

There is nothing else on wikipedia that discusses this issue? My understanding is that Wikipedia is not a blog or a news sources it does not have to address each and every event by creating a new record. That
would be horrible.

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August 3, 2006 - 7:59pm — Brian

Sounds like a job for Wiktionary

I suggest that Wiktionary would be a better place for an entry on wikiality than Wikipedia. Doesn't look like anyone's created one there yet, so I added it to the requested articles page.

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August 4, 2006 - 7:42pm — Samantha

Re:What's more disturbing

Both of you might be interested in the recent New Yorker article that tackles the issue of what should be added to Wikipedia. It was posted on LISNews about a week ago. Very interesting!

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