250 users banned from Wikipedia

Wikipedia editors have recently blocked more than 250 account used for editing the popular online encyclopedia through which they advertise various products and services on the Wikipedia. Owners of these accounts were paid for editing articles which is contrary to the fundamental principles on which Wikipedia was created. Apparently there are people who hire PR agencies to improve the reputation of individual companies through articles on Wikipedia.

Website Vice magazine and online newspaper Daily Dot conducted a study which revealed growth of cash going to writes as a stimulation for writing articles in English version of Wikipedia. According to the Daily Dot engaged persons were paid between 500 and 1,000 dollars for writing articles, as well as $50 a month for ongoing maintenance of already written articles. The rise of such immoral services is attributed to a new PR company called Wiki-PR, which is marketed under the slogan "The easy way to accurately tell your story on Wikipedia".

It is worth mentioning the case of an unnamed college dean who paid $1,500 to have his profile made on Wikipedia, and currently pays $800 a month for "efforts in the field of media relations" because the mentioned article is regularly deleted.

[Ed - This puts articles on Wikipedia in question as you can never be sure if the article in question is accurate or is a paid story written to convey a particular message.]


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