(03-25-2006) Bono targets Wikipedia entries - UPI*

[HelloAngel]

Bono targets Wikipedia entries


WASHINGTON, March 24 (UPI) -- Rock star Bono has a new tactic in his campaign to Make Poverty History -- doctoring Wikipedia entries for people he wants to influence.

The group's first target is Rep. Jim Nussle, R-Iowa, the Des Moines Register reported. The group added a sentence to Nussle's bio in Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia:

"As Chairman of the House Budget Committee, Congressman Nussle and Iowa also have an incredible opportunity to influence and save lives in Africa and the world's poorest countries by fully funding the fight against global AIDS and extreme poverty."

The group evidently hopes that pointing out his chance to help will affect Nussle's budget proposals.

"We're not partisan," said a spokeswoman, Meighan Stone. "We're ready to work with anyone who wants to help Africa."

Congressional representatives' entries appear to get regular editing -- sometimes making them look better, sometimes making them look worse.

© Copyright 2006 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060324-102522-7953r

 

[AngelofHarlem01]

That's genius!

 

[nbcrusader]

I'm not sure adding entries regarding things people could do is best for the long run.

Based on his position, the same entry could say that Rep. Nussle has the incredible opportunity to:

find a cure of cancer
find a cure for aids
stop government waste
etc.
etc.
etc.

 

[Zoomerang96]

crusader is right.

bono's tactics are beyond lame already.

 

[Jamila]

That's genius!

I agree.

Politicians are always trying to rewrite history to make themselves look good, so why shouldn't that same tactic be turned around on them?


KUDOS TO THE ONE WHO THOUGHT THIS TACTIC UP.


Nussle, you're being watched!

 

[doctorwho]

crusader is right.

bono's tactics are beyond lame already.

Not as lame as 99.99999999% of your posts.

While a bit sophomoric, I really doubt that Bono himself is doing this. And given the nature if Wiki, I don't think most people are going to be rushing there to view this.

 

[DPrinceNY]

If this was in fact Bono's idea, it’s definitely one of his worst. Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, an index of supposed facts. Adding little remarks on what someone should or shouldn’t do or cure defeats the whole purpose of having a factual site of reference.

 

[speedracer]

One word: spam.

 

[Elvis]

Wikipedia does tend to ban people for doing things like this.....

 

[Bono's shades]

Yeah, "sophmoric" is exactly the word to describe a stunt like this. I just hope Nussle has a sense of humor.

I believe it was just some, uh, overly-enthusiastic people in the Making Poverty History organization that did this and Bono didn't have anything to do with it. At least I hope not.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

what exactly is this going to accomplish?

 

[DaveC]

Yeah, this is definite Wikipedia vandalism.

They're just going to get themselves banned.

It's already been removed from Nussle's Wikipedia entry as vandalism and partisanship (which violates the Neutral Point of View policy).

What a stupid, dumb idea.

 

[ElectricalVoice]

I also believe that politics has nothing to do in a database of free information. Such a database should not have any politics or "propaganda" in it. It should be completely objective.
But it's nice what Bono does, of course. In general.

 

[AtomicBono]

Like most of you, I seriously doubt Bono himself had anything to do with this...do you reckon Bono even knows what wikipedia is?

 

[jobob]

I also believe that politics has nothing to do in a database of free information. Such a database should not have any politics or "propaganda" in it. It should be completely objective.

As a writer and a librarian, I agree: Information needs to be presented objectively. Points of view should be represented fairly in a database of free information such as Wikipedia.

However, since Wikipedia can be and is edited by anyone who wants to edit an entry, propaganda is bound to enter the site. In at least one famous case, Wiki biographies have been made slanderous by "editors." The DATA or One staff needs to stop editing Congressional Wiki biographies -- and I say that as a One Campaign supporter.

 

[Techie2000]

In looking at the actual entry and its talk page it appears it wasn't Bono at all who was the one editing the pages.

 

[Carek1230]

I didn't think Bono would do anything like this. He prefers the face to face communication.

Nice try, whoever is the one who did this.