Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Wikipedia, Sure Font of Truth

On the wonderfully opinionated blog, Opinione, I found this very useful essay on Wikipedia, and the internet in general.
Some examples of altered wikipedia entries altered from computers with IP addresses linked to wikipedia entries critical of them include the wikipedia page on Wal-Mart from the original posting on wikipedia, which states: Wages at Wal-Mart are about 20% less than at other retail stores. Founder Sam Walton once argued that his company should be exempt from the minimum wage. A computer with a Wal-Mart IP address was found to have changed it to, The average wage at Wal-Mart is almost double the federal minimum wage (Wal-Mart)

Other examples given had a more conspiratorial flavor, the CIA and FBI of course as well as the site for Dow Chemical.

I personally don't worry about this too much because I treat everything I read on Wikipedia and the rest of the internet just like I treat any statistics I come across. If it doesn't mesh with my pre-conceived ideas, out it goes. It's obviously biased.

What's your opinion? Are there internet sites you trust to deliver unspun truth? Or is it all suspect?

10 comments:

  1. "I personally don't worry about this too much because I treat everything I read on Wikipedia and the rest of the internet just like I treat any statistics I come across. If it doesn't mesh with my pre-conceived ideas, out it goes. It's obviously biased."

    That was sarcastic, right? ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. The only cites I trust are cits I KNOW will spin the truth and what direction. Takes a little brain work, but you read an NRA/GOA Press release, then read the same issue over at the Brady Campaign/VPC site and you'll be on a good way to knowing the issue. Then all you need to do is do research on laws and techonology to hammer home the hard facts.


    Still one thing that wikipedia is good for is references. When a source is uncited it's often flagged with a big flag that is visable from space for all to see, and if they to have support you can quickly reference the footnotes and judge them for yourself.

    Wikipedia is a great starting point for serious research, and much better than what we had as kids, the Encyclopedia (that doesn't footnote their sources). But it shouldn't be the end point for serious research ever. Tho it's often nice for quick-and-dirty understanding of a novel issue.

    Also current events tend to update fastes on wikipedia. There's a high noise to signal ratio, but it seems to gather new information MUCH faster than any one source.

    ReplyDelete
  3. "That was sarcastic, right? ;)"

    Sadly, no it wasn't.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I like to get my facts from a variey of sources. First off is Rush, then I will see if Hannity verifies it. After that I tune in Savage to be sure that there are at least three sources of verification.

    Finally, if I see it on FoxNews, then I know for sure that it was god's truth.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mud_Rake, I found your sarcasm to be extremely witty and absolutely clear in it's ironic intent. What's Weer'd's problem?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mike,

    It seems that much of your information or at least stories comes from other liberal bloggers.

    Do you account for that bias when you consider the information or do you depend on it to tell you how to think?

    ReplyDelete
  7. "Slanders, sir: for the satirical rogue says here
    that old men have grey beards, that their faces are wrinkled, their eyes purging thick amber and
    plum-tree gum, and that they have a plentiful lack of wit, together with most weak hams: all which, sir, though I most powerfully and potently believe, yet I hold it not honesty to have it thus set down, for yourself, sir, should be old as I am, if like a crab you could go backward."

    -Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2

    ReplyDelete
  8. I have found that anything that spews out of MikeB's fingers is suspect and poorly researched. Anybody with me?

    I just spent 3 hours on the phone with (SCARY) evil black people in Africa arranging a possible fishing trip and mineral rights that involves Cameroon. White man rapes Africa again. Stuff it! Grow a pair. Meet me in Cameroon and fight me to the death....

    Thing is Cameroon is a suck country full of swindlers, but they don't bold face lie when they can't legitimately get into print to suit what gets their rocks off like Mike does. Cameroon has editors. At least in my experience.

    After answering this I'd like for Mikeb to give ANY POSSIBLE EXCUSE for the mis-administration of Italian East Africa. I shall give him a pass on the Congo regions. Its his people that gave us modern piracy that capture ships full of tanks and anti-tank arms.

    Cheers Mike,
    I'll stop calling you on bullshit when I feel like it. No amount of money can pay me to not make fun of you.

    Guess who!

    I never have needed to slander you because you do it for yourself.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Bob said, "It seems that much of your information or at least stories comes from other liberal bloggers.

    Do you account for that bias when you consider the information or do you depend on it to tell you how to think?"


    Actually, I do.

    Thomas said, "Stuff it! Grow a pair. Meet me in Cameroon and fight me to the death...."

    I've missed you around here and am thrilled to see him back. I'll bet I'm not alone in that.

    ReplyDelete