Church of Scientology editing on Wikipedia
Church of Scientology IP addresses blocked
2) All IP addresses owned or operated by the Church of Scientology and its associates, broadly interpreted, are to be blocked as if they were open proxies. Individual editors may request IP block exemption if they wish to contribute from the blocked IP addresses.
- Passed 10 to 1 at 13:31, 28 May 2009 (UTC)
Church of Scientology edits to Wikipedia led to a ban on editing the entire website from the organization's computers.[1][2]
A series of incidents in 2009 led to Church of Scientology–owned networks being blocked from making edits to Wikipedia articles relating to Scientology. The Church of Scientology has long had a controversial history on the Internet and had initiated campaigns to manipulate material and remove information critical of itself from the web. From early in Wikipedia's history, conflict arose regarding the website's coverage of Scientology. Disputes began in earnest in 2005, with users disagreeing about whether or not to describe Scientology as an abusive cult or religion, and continued through the decade.[3]
WikiScanner, a publicly searchable database that linked anonymous edits on Wikipedia to the organizations where those edits apparently originated, made public the nature of edits on Wikipedia which were able to be traced directly back to Church of Scientology-controlled computers. News organizations reported that edits linked to the Church of Scientology were made to remove criticism from the main Scientology article, to downplay connections between Scientology and the New Cult Awareness Network, and to add links to Scientology-affiliated groups such as the Citizens Commission on Human Rights.[4]
In January 2009, a case involving Scientology was brought before Wikipedia's Arbitration Committee. Wikipedia administrators presented evidence during the case that Church of Scientology-controlled computers were used to promote the organization, using multiple user accounts. One user, going by the pseudonym "COFS", admitted this pattern of editing and stated the edits from Scientology computers would continue. In May 2009, the Arbitration Committee decided to restrict editing from IP addresses belonging to the Church of Scientology to prevent biased edits. The decision meant that Church of Scientology-controlled IP addresses received the same blockable status as open proxies on the site. Many Scientology critics were also banned; the committee concluded that both sides had "gamed policy" and resorted to "battlefield tactics", with articles on living persons being the "worst casualties" of edits.[5][6] On 7 January 2022, the rule of IP addresses owned by Scientology being blocked as if they were open proxies was lifted.[7]
Arbitration Committee member Roger Davies wrote the majority of the decision, and commented to
Background
The Church of Scientology has a controversial history on the
Legal cases have involved a
Scientology versus the Net ... was the original net.war. The story was at heart pretty simple (and the skirmishes continue, in various translations into newer media, to this day). Scientology has a bunch of super-secrets that only the initiates, who have spent many hours in expensive Scientology training, are allowed to see. Scientology's attempts to keep those secrets off the Net resulted in their being published everywhere. The dust has never completely settled.
Three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead, said Mark Twain. [actually Benjamin Franklin] That was before the Internet. Scientology was the first to learn—nearly 15 years ago—that the best way to ensure the maximum publicity for something is to try to suppress it.[20]
History
Early conflict
Conflict within the topic of Scientology on Wikipedia arose early on from the website's beginnings.[21] Author Jonathan Zittrain noted in The Future of the Internet – And How to Stop It, his 2009 book published by Yale University Press, that "as Wikipedia grew it began to attract editors who had never crossed paths before, and who disagreed on articles they were simultaneously editing. One person would say that Scientology was a 'cult', the other would change that back to 'religion,' and the first would revert it back again."[21] In a 2005 article about Wikipedia for The Guardian, Charles Arthur noted individuals debated online, "whether Scientology should be classed as a cult", and he compared the "cultism" of Scientology to that of Wikipedia itself.[22] ABC News noted in a 2009 article, "Wikipedia disputes about Scientology have gone on since 2005."[23]
In 2006, conflict on Wikipedia within the topic of Scientology was drawn out over specific disagreements.
WikiScanner revelations
The development of the WikiScanner software by Virgil Griffith in 2007 revealed changes made to Wikipedia articles by Scientology organization computers.[26] CBS News reported, "Many of the edits are predictably self-interested: PCs in Scientology officialdom were used to remove criticism in the church's Wikipedia entry."[27] The Independent noted, "Computers with IP addresses traced to the Church of Scientology were used to expunge critical paragraphs about the cult's world-wide operations."[28] The Times reported that a computer operated by the Church of Scientology was used to manipulate information in the Wikipedia article about the Cult Awareness Network, "A computer linked to the Church of Scientology's network was used to delete references to links between it and a group dubbed the 'Cult Awareness Network.'"[29] Forbes noted, "Scientology officials appear to have removed critical comments from an anti-cult organization."[30]
Reporting for Slate, journalist Michael Agger observed that an edit by a Scientology-associated IP address to a Scientology-related article on Wikipedia does not necessarily indicate such an edit was made by an employee of the organization. Virgil Griffith explained, "Technically, we don't know if it came from an agent of that company. However, we do know that edit came from someone with access to their network. If the edit occurred during working hours, then we can reasonably assume that the person is either an employee of that company or a guest that was allowed access to their network."[31]
Project Chanology
After the Scientology organization tried to remove a promotional film of Scientology featuring celebrity member
Arbitration Committee ban
In January 2009, The Register reported on an ongoing case involving Scientology before Wikipedia's Arbitration Committee, "According to site administrators, several pro-Scientology accounts have been editing the site using Scientology-owned computers."[35] The Arbitration Committee on Wikipedia is composed of a group of volunteers elected by the editing community to resolve especially difficult conflicts.[36][37] During the arbitration case, the page about Scientology was modified by members of the organization.[35][38] Scientology members had doctored entries in order to advertise for their cause.[39] The Register noted that one of the Wikipedia users admitted he had edited from computers operated by the Scientology organization, "One of these pro-Scientology editors – who once used the handle 'COFS' – has admitted as much. And he vows to continue editing Scientology articles from Scientology computers."[35] The Register quoted the "COFS" user as saying, "I am not going to leave voluntarily and I will continue to use a) my own computer, b) public computers, c) my wireless laptop, d) computers in the Church of Scientology and any station I please".[35] The Guardian cited The Register, and noted, "The technology news website The Register alleges the church has an organised operation to challenge internet criticism."[40]
In an effort to adhere to
The committee ruled that the Scientology organization had a responsibility to "ensure appropriate use of its servers and equipment",[1] and pointed to a conflict of interest involved with edits from Scientology-associated computers.[57] The block on IP addresses includes those originating from the Church of Scientology's offices in Los Angeles, California;[58] the organization additionally maintains headquarters in Clearwater, Florida.[11]
A "host of anti-Scientologist editors" were topic-banned as well by the Arbitration Committee.[5][42] The committee noted that an "aggravating factor" had been "the apparent presence of notable critics of Scientology, from several Internet organizations, apparently editing under their own names and citing either their own or each other's self-published material."[5] The committee concluded that both sides had "gamed policy" and resorted to "battlefield tactics" to create articles that were either "disparaging or complimentary", with articles on living persons being the "worst casualties".[5][6]
On 7 January 2022 the rule of IP addresses owned by Scientology being blocked as if they were open proxies was lifted.[7]
Wikimedia comments
Arbitration Committee member Roger Davies wrote the majority of the decision in the Scientology case.[8] Davies commented in an interview with The New York Times, "It was obvious that this case was going to be controversial pretty much from the start. What we have done is we've really tried to make sure that we have not directed our fire at anyone in particular."[8] He noted there was a recurring pattern of disputed editing on controversial topics, "One of the problems we keep bumping into is what I call core belief issues — politics, religion, nationalism. Fringe faiths, fringe nationalities."[8]
Wikipedia media contact, Dan Rosenthal, stated to ABC News, "Scientology is up there among the most controversial on Wikipedia. You can compare it to articles on abortion, the presidential election and the like and there's been nowhere near the level of bitterness and fighting."[23] Rosenthal commented, "You could imply that there is a conflict of interest. Rather than two unrelated people getting together", promoters of the Scientology organization were "getting together, saying, 'Let's work together to make this a more pro-scientology article.'"[23] Rosenthal noted that "it is standard practice to ban users found violating rules designed to keep people with an agenda from propagandizing."[69][70] Rosenthal said that approximately 300 users are blocked or banned per day from Wikipedia in order to stop vandalism, or for violating regulations created to prevent propaganda.[71] Catrin Schoneville, spokesperson for Wikimedia Germany, stated to Computerwoche that the decision impacted the English Wikipedia version, and it was unknown whether a similar decision in the future would be applied to the German Wikipedia site.[72]
Scientology statements
Scientology spokeswoman, Karin Pouw, stated of the Wikipedia arbitration decision, "Do Scientologists care what has been posted on Wikipedia? Of course. Some of it has been very hateful and erroneous."[73] Pouw commented, "We hope all this will result in more accurate and useful articles on Wikipedia."[60] She characterized the Arbitration Committee decision as "a routine internal action by Wikipedia to clean up its editing process".[74] Pouw emphasized, "More importantly is the fact that Wikipedia finally banned those who were engaged in unobjective and biased editing for the purposes of antagonism as opposed to providing accurate information."[2][75] Pouw commented to ABC News, "People have conflicts on Wikipedia all the time, and it's obvious why – anybody can post."[23] Bloomberg Businessweek reported on Pouw's statements, "[Pouw] says her organization regularly monitors the Internet for wrong information about its belief system and members. After this ruling, Pouw says there remain 'gross inaccuracies' on the Scientology article on Wikipedia that she hopes will eventually be corrected. But for the time being, her group's ability to do that have been weakened."[9] In a statement to CNN, Pouw asserted "she is unaware of any coordinated effort to alter Wikipedia".[10]
Reception
Writing in the 2009 book
In an interview with ABC News,
See also
- List of Guardian's Office operations
- Operation Clambake
- Operation Freakout
- Operation Snow White
- Scieno Sitter
- Scientology and the legal system
- Scientology controversies
References
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- ^ a b Revision as of 7 January 2022 of Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Clarification and Amendment Retrieved 30 January 2022
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Further reading
- AGK & Ragesoss (June 1, 2009). "End of Scientology arbitration brings blocks, media coverage". The Wikipedia Signpost. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
- Gardner, Sue (June 2009). "Foundation report to the Board, June 2009". Wikimedia Meta-Wiki. Wikimedia Foundation. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
External links
- Media related to Church of Scientology editing on Wikipedia at Wikimedia Commons
- JayWalsh (talk · contribs), Wikimedia Foundation head of communications, as guest on KUOW-FM to discuss the Scientology arbitration case — (kuow.org: listen in .mp3, program listing)