Wikipedia Bans Church of Scientology
In a true LOL move, Wikipedia admins had a big powwow and decided that, effective immediately, everyone from the Church of Scientology should be crushed by the ban hammer. This is the first time that the do-it-yourself-encyclopedia has ever banished an entire IP range for abuse, proselytizing and pushing its own agenda.
Battlefield Wikipedia soon to be next Co$ novel?
From the Register here:
In an unprecedented effort to crack down on self-serving edits, the Wikipedia supreme court has banned contributions from all IP addresses owned or operated by the Church of Scientology and its associates.
Closing out the longest-running court case in Wikiland history, the site’s Arbitration Committee voted 10 to 0 (with one abstention) in favor of the move, which takes effect immediately.
The eighth most popular site on the web, Wikipedia bills itself as “the free encyclopedia anyone can edit.” Administrators frequently ban individual Wikifiddlers for their individual Wikisins. And the site’s UK press officer/resident goth once silenced an entire Utah mountain in a bizarre attempt to protect a sockpuppeting ex-BusinessWeek reporter. But according to multiple administrators speaking with The Reg, the muzzling of Scientology IPs marks the first time Wikipedia has officially barred edits from such a high-profile organization for allegedly pushing its own agenda on the site.
According to evidence turned up by admins in this long-running Wikiland court case, multiple editors have been “openly editing [Scientology-related articles] from Church of Scientology equipment and apparently coordinating their activities.”
So the Co$ is now out of the wiki-editing business, at least from certain IP ranges. So now I suppose the steps to becoming a Scientologist involves purging thetans with an e-meter, coughing up all your dough and finally, promoting Scientology on Wikipedia. Dumbest religion ever. Thanks to Robb for the story!
