Wikipedia Introduces New Rules

Wikipedia has grown exponentially, making it the hub for information on the Internet. Wikipedia exemplifies the essence of web 2.0 in that it is the ultimate site dedicated to crowd sourcing and user-generated content. However, Wikipedia is changing, and it recently announced the introduction of flagged revisions for pages dedicated to living individuals.

According to The New York Times, “The new feature, called ‘flagged revisions’, will require that an experienced volunteer editor for Wikipedia sign off on any change made by the public before it can go live. Until the change is approved — or in Wikispeak, flagged — it will sit invisibly on Wikipedia’s servers, and visitors will be directed to the earlier version”. Users could previously update wiki articles and see changes instantaneously. What has brought on this change? Wikipedia’s popularity has made it more of an authority, making correct information all that much more necessary. If users edit articles with false information, then Wikipedia loses its credibility. However, there is still the issue of taking away the essence of Wikipedia—user-generated content. Would users be turned off by having their edits flagged, or is Wikipedia doing the right thing in trying to hold on to its authority?