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What Should We Do About Wikipedia's Porn Problem?

Posted by Soulskill on from the make-a-wiki-about-it dept.

Larry Sanger writes "In 2011, the Wikimedia Board committed to installing a 'controversial content' filter even weaker than Google's SafeSearch, as proposed by the '2010 Wikimedia Study of Controversial Content.' Since then, after growing opposition by some Wikipedians, some board members have made it clear that they do not expect this filter to be finished and installed. Nevertheless, Wikipedia continues to host an enormous amount of extremely gross porn and other material most parents don't want their kids stumbling across. And this content is some of the website's most-accessed. Nevertheless, children remain some of Wikipedia's heaviest users. Jimmy Wales has recently reiterated his support for such a filter, but no work is being done on it, and the Foundation has not yet issued any statement about whether they intend to continue work on it." (In case it isn't obvious from the headline and summary, these articles discuss subject matter that may not be appropriate for workplace reading.)

3 of 544 comments (clear)

  1. Hmmm... by SarekOfVulcan · · Score: 5, Informative

    I wonder why Larry Sanger could possibly have an interest in making WP look problematic.

  2. Re:Not a problem by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Maybe it was just my area as a kid, but porn was the holy grail from 1st grade to 6th. Almost nobody knew what sex was, those that did primarily used euphemisms and the number of people who had sloppy parents/uncles/siblings leaving porn around were few and far between.

    Plus porn totally saved me from hooking up with some girl and making a mistake or two, so I'd say overall it's been a net plus for society! :D

    Seriously the shit people get bent out of shape over is slowly making me think we should reinvigorate american industry the old fashioned way: Pharmaceuticals for mental health problems.

    Not that anybody could afford them at current prices :D

    Eww, captcha was 'monogamy'.

  3. Examples from Wikipedia by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    File searches on Wikipedia:
    Toothbrush: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=images&search=toothbrush&fulltext=Search
    Human female: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Search&limit=250&offset=100&redirs=0&profile=images&search=human+female
    Human male: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=images&search=human+male&fulltext=Search
    Jumping ball: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=images&search=jumping+ball&fulltext=Search

    Wikipedia articles:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Free_Ride
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep-throating
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tit_torture
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cock_and_ball_torture_(sexual_practice)