Forget tabloid coverage, Wikipedia page the latest status symbol

hiake · Oct 22, 2007

Wikipedia page the latest status symbol

By Jennifer Ablan

NEW YORK (Reuters) - They say if you can make it in New York you can make it anywhere. But these days, it seems you haven't really made it unless you have that most prized of status symbols -- your very own page on Wikipedia.

"It's something of an honor," said journalist Howard Altman of being added to the world's largest online encyclopedia. "I actually had somebody say to me at a baseball game that I was the first person he knew on Wikipedia ... it was pretty cool."

Steve Knight, an American musician whose biography was created only several days ago, said, "I appreciate being considered a notable person ... This is pretty exciting."

Unlike popular networking sites MySpace and Facebook, Wikipedia doesn't allow people to post profiles of themselves.

Instead, Wikipedia entries are earned.

"If someone is notable or successful in their field, they'll end up in Wikipedia," Jim Wales, the 41-year-old who founded Wikipedia in January 2001, said in an interview.

Altman ended up in Wikipedia because of his claim to fame six years ago for reporting on an American numerologist, John Patrick Ennis, thought to have predicted a large number of major events, including the 9/11 attacks. "I gained a following all over the world because of that ... I think that's why I got on Wikipedia," Altman, 47, said.

Knight's Wikipedia entry says he is "best known as the keyboardist for Mountain, a rock band of the early 1970s" and notes that the 72-year-old who now lives in Woodstock, New York, and serves on Woodstock's Town Board.

The number of individuals profiled on the site is growing rapidly. As of late September there were 224,785 biographies of living people on the site, up from 177,512 in January and 93,392 in January 2006.

And those biographies get read. Wikipedia is the eighth most-visited U.S. destination on the Internet with 52.8 million unique visitors in September, according to comScore Media Metrix. Worldwide it attracted 210.8 million visitors.

FIRST FAME, THEN EVICTION

But the thrill of being included comes with a price.

Anybody can write an entry on the site, or update and edit an existing one. Each entry has pointers to a "history" page, where previous versions are stored, and a "discussion" page, where contributors can haggle over changes or whether the article or biography should be kept or dumped.

"It can be an unpleasant experience if ... it gets deleted because the (community) decides you aren't important enough," said Wales.

Chelsea Kate Isaacs -- a budding actress and model who earned top dollar as a hand model between the ages of 11 and 12 -- knows the pleasure and pain of Wikipedia.

Last week someone created an entry calling the 19-year-old "1998's most desirable hand model in the United States and Canada." Isaacs told Reuters last week she was shocked to see her life on Wikipedia. "It's absolutely shocking but the information (on me) is accurate. I have no clue who did this."

"I guess I do have a fan club out there," Isaacs said.

But then after just a few days, contributors to Wikipedia dumped Isaacs' page.

"That's so sad!" Isaacs said on Monday about her eviction. "I kind of liked the idea of being on Wikipedia."

The site is governed by three basic policies: Entries should not include any original research; facts must be verifiable via a published and reputable source; and all entries should be written from a neutral point of view.

Wikipedia isn't without its critics. Because anyone can edit it, documents are vulnerable to endless mistakes.

But a series of incidents has led to changes, including Wales appointing a small group of administrators to serve as chief watchdogs who can delete articles or protect them from further changes and block certain users from editing.

"What's on there about me is highly accurate," said Knight. "I don't want to be taken down. Who does? I hope the people who loved me before Wikipedia will still love me if I am taken off."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN2232893820071022
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At least someone (or multiple) cared about the subject enough to write a blurb and create a wiki page on the subject... Perfect indicator for affluence indeed -tongue2

chickenutbread · Oct 22, 2007

i wonder how your blurb would go? lol. "hiake: evil mistress who is bent on world domination through her minions in collaboration with her twin, BRain."

ProjectD · Oct 22, 2007

^ lol thats pretty interesting to say chicken

Knoctur_nal · Oct 22, 2007

oh fuck no, wiki now seen as this...

hiake · Oct 22, 2007

Knoctur_nal said: ↑

oh fuck no, wiki now seen as this...
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The pioneer (and possibly the most successful usage) of web 2.0 is befallen... Woe be us -tongue2

Nice avvy, new sneakers?

Knoctur_nal · Oct 22, 2007

hiake said: ↑

The pioneer (and possibly the most successful usage) of web 2.0 is befallen... Woe be us -tongue2

Nice avvy, new sneakers?
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successful web 2.0...wiki..naw..its gota be blogs...
as for them kicks..yeah..a few regulars and a few customs.

hiake · Oct 22, 2007

Knoctur_nal said: ↑

successful web 2.0...wiki..naw..its gota be blogs...
as for them kicks..yeah..a few regulars and a few customs.
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Blogs didn't started as web 2.0 did it not? Not sure, not a techie here -tongue2

Knoctur_nal · Oct 22, 2007

it includes blogs, wiki, and all these social networking places and not to forget digg!.

hiake · Oct 22, 2007

Knoctur_nal said: ↑

it includes blogs, wiki, and all these social networking places and not to forget digg!.
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It INCLUDES blogs, but I thought that blogs switched from something else... But okay -sweat

You a digg fanatic?

Knoctur_nal · Oct 22, 2007

hiake said: ↑

It INCLUDES blogs, but I thought that blogs switched from something else... But okay -sweat

You a digg fanatic?
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switched from something else..care to say where you're gettin this from...
one can say blogs evolved or is a spin off of having one's own website..as its much easier to run a blog...
as for digg...not a fanatic..but love the concept.

hiake · Oct 22, 2007

Knoctur_nal said: ↑

switched from something else..care to say where you're gettin this from...
one can say blogs evolved or is a spin off of having one's own website..as its much easier to run a blog...
as for digg...not a fanatic..but love the concept.
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It's too far back in time that I don't remember I got this (mis)information from So I'll take your word for it instead.

Forget tabloid coverage, Wikipedia page the latest status symbol

hiake Vardøgr of da E.Twin

chickenutbread Well-Known Member

ProjectD VIP yay :]

Knoctur_nal |Force 10 from Navarone|

hiake Vardøgr of da E.Twin

Knoctur_nal |Force 10 from Navarone|

hiake Vardøgr of da E.Twin

Knoctur_nal |Force 10 from Navarone|

hiake Vardøgr of da E.Twin

Knoctur_nal |Force 10 from Navarone|

hiake Vardøgr of da E.Twin