Slashdot Mirror
The Rise of Paid Wikipedia Consulting
jfruh writes "Roger Bamkin is a director at Wikimedia UK; he also is on retainer for the government of the British territory of Gibraltar, and has nominated and approved Gibraltar-related articles for the "Did You Know" box on the Wikipedia front page. Maximilian Klein runs a business called UntrikiWiki, and advertises his services by saying "A positive Wikipedia article is invaluable SEO." Are such users violating the spirit of what Wikipedia is about? Or should we trust that the wisdom of crowds will offset obvious shilling?"
And what of Jimmy Wales? He has become VERY wealthy as a direct result of his association with Wikipedia. Sure, he draws a "nominal" check from Wikipedia itself, but on the Yakety-Yak circuit, it'll cost you 50k to have The Great Man speak at your Wikipedia worship service.
If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
because corruption always occurs when there is money involved
You lost every rational person right there.
I would take the time to list just a few of the good, quality things that humanity has produced where people were compensated, but I imagine it'd be a waste of time. But I'll open a door for you... you used an unfathomable number of them to share that inane comment with the world, and wikipedia wouldn't exist in any form without the same (and more).