Wikipedia is a constantly updated, community-organized online encyclopedia. It allows random people and dedicated editors to edit any page, though administrators can block users and correct incorrectly edited pages. With over 24 million articles in 285 languages, it has become the largest general reference work on the internet with an estimated 365 million readers worldwide. While open to human error and vandalism, studies show anonymous contributions are as reliable as registered users, and Wikipedia aims to empower people to share educational content globally.

2.  Brandon Rosenthal  John DiMieri

3. What do you think
Wikipedia is and
how would you
characterize it?

4.  In fact yes it is…The Company is actually
called WikiMedia Foundation and its mission
is fulfilled by Wikipedia.

5.  “The mission of the Wikimedia Foundation is
to empower and engage people around the
world to collect and develop educational
content under a free license or in the
public domain, and to disseminate it effectively
and globally.”

6.  Did they good job fulfilling
their mission statement using
Wikipedia?
 How often do you use it?
 Why do you use it?

7.  January 7th 2013 – Colbert Report Interview!
 http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-
report-videos/422660/january-07-2013/jimmy-
wales

8.  A constantly updated, community organized
internet encyclopedia.
 Ability to allow random people, as well as a
dedicated following, to edit any page.
 As a safety net, there are 85,000 unpaid
workers
 Ability to block people’s edits
 Make new pages
 Correct incorrectly edited pages

9.  The Wikipedia Community
 Power Structure
 Administrators can block people, restrict certain pages,
and delete pages, as well as edit.
 Wikipedia editors can award “barnstars” to each
other
 New users
 Up to sixty percent of Wikipedia's registered users
never make another edit after their first 24 hours –
Wikipedia culture is unique and scares “outsiders”
away.

10.  Vandalism Issues
 Definition: To falsify information on a Wikipedia
page
 Website is subject to human error
 The law views Wikipedia as a “private citizen”
rather than a “public figure”
 There is a right to be anonymous , thus making hard
to trace edits
 Cyber Bullying

11.  Do you think you should be held accountable?
 Is being blocked by users enough?
 Should you be able to edit anonymously?

12.  Global Reach
 There are articles in 285 languages as of January 2013
 Donations are taken by any currency around the
world
 24 million articles
 It has become the largest and most popular
general reference work on the Internet, ranking sixth
globally among all websites on Alexa and having an
estimated 365 million readers worldwide.

13.  Accuracy
-Wikipedia admits “there is no guarantee of
validity”
-However, a 2007 study by researchers at
Dartmouth College found that “anonymous and
infrequent contributors to Wikipedia are as reliable
as those contributors who register with the site”
-McPherson vs Wikipedia - Abraham Lincoln
Comparison
 Both articles were accurate and covered the major
episodes of Lincoln’s life

14.  Have you ever donated?
 Do you plan to donate now after this
presentation?