Wikimedia Foundation director resigns after uproar over “Knowledge Engine”

Earlier this month, documents related to the grant were leaked to and published by The Signpost, Wikipedia’s online newspaper. In a special report, The Signpost published the 13-page grant agreement and ran an article asserting that the “Knowledge Engine” would be, contrary to statements by Jimmy Wales and other board members, some type of generalized Internet search engine. “The presentation contrasts the ideals and motivations of commercial search engines—they ‘highlight paid results, track users’ internet habits, sell information to marketing firms’—with those of ‘Wikipedia Search’, which will be private, transparent, and globally representative,” wrote The Signpost. “It repeatedly stressed that “no other search engines carry these ideals.”

From Wikimedia Foundation director resigns after uproar over “Knowledge Engine” | Ars Technica

Earlier this month, documents related to the grant were leaked to and published by The Signpost, Wikipedia’s online newspaper. In a special report, The Signpost published the 13-page grant agreement and ran an article asserting that the “Knowledge Engine” would be, contrary to statements by Jimmy Wales and other board members, some type of generalized Internet search engine. “The presentation contrasts the ideals and motivations of commercial search engines—they ‘highlight paid results, track users’ internet habits, sell information to marketing firms’—with those of ‘Wikipedia Search’, which will be private, transparent, and globally representative,” wrote The Signpost. “It repeatedly stressed that “no other search engines carry these ideals.”

From Wikimedia Foundation director resigns after uproar over “Knowledge Engine” | Ars Technica