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Page title without namespace (page_title) | 'Vandalism on Wikipedia' |
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Edit summary/reason (summary) | 'Undid revision 1062239300 by [[Special:Contributions/ClueBot NG|ClueBot NG]] ([[User talk:ClueBot NG|talk]])' |
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Old page wikitext, before the edit (old_wikitext) | '{{Short description|Act of editing Wikipedia in a malicious manner}}
{{selfref|This is an article about vandalism on Wikipedia. For the Wikipedia policy on vandalism, see [[Wikipedia:Vandalism]], or to report repeated cases of vandalism, see [[Wikipedia:Administrator intervention against vandalism]].}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
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On [[Wikipedia]], '''vandalism''' is editing the project in an intentionally disruptive or malicious manner. Vandalism includes any addition, removal, or modification that is intentionally [[Humour|humorous]], nonsensical, a [[reliability of Wikipedia|hoax]], or degrading in any way.
Throughout its history, Wikipedia has struggled to maintain a balance between allowing the freedom of open editing and protecting the accuracy of its information when false information can be potentially damaging to its subjects.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/2009/0825/wikipedia-testing-new-method-to-curb-false-info |title=Wikipedia testing new method to curb false info |journal=Christian Science Monitor |date=25 August 2009 |publisher=CSMonitor.com |access-date=7 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120801003740/http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/2009/0825/wikipedia-testing-new-method-to-curb-false-info |archive-date=1 August 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> Vandalism is easy to commit on Wikipedia because anyone can edit the site,<ref name=newscientist/><ref name=BBC>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4502846.stm | work=BBC News | title=Wikipedia tightens online rules | date=6 December 2005 | access-date=26 November 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213031907/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4502846.stm | archive-date=13 December 2010 | url-status=live }}</ref> with the exception of protected pages (which, depending on the level of protection, can only be edited by users with certain privileges). Certain [[Wikipedia bots]] are capable of detecting and removing vandalism faster than any human editor could.<ref>{{cite web |title=Meet the 'bots' that edit Wikipedia |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-18892510 |website=BBC News |access-date=19 September 2021 |date=25 July 2012}}</ref>
It is not a criminal act to vandalise Wikipedia. However, it is against the site's [[terms of use]] to vandalise or otherwise cause disruption. Vandals are [[Block (Internet)|blocked from editing]], and may also be further banned according to the terms of use. Vandalism can be committed by either guest editors or those with registered accounts; however, a semi-protected or fully protected page can be edited only by accounts that meet certain age and activity thresholds or [[Wikipedia administrators|administrators]] respectively.<ref name=BBC /> Frequent targets of vandalism include articles on trending and controversial topics, celebrities, and current events.<ref name=Newzealand>{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10432042|title=Wikipedia fights vandalism|newspaper=The New Zealand Herald|last=Kleeman|first=Jenny|date=2 April 2007|access-date=25 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213202139/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10432042|archive-date=13 December 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2006/jun/18/wikipedia.news | location=London | work=The Guardian | first=Lorna | last=Martin | title=Wikipedia fights off cyber vandals | date=18 June 2006 | access-date=18 December 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228130822/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2006/jun/18/wikipedia.news | archive-date=28 December 2016 | url-status=live }}</ref> In some cases, people have been falsely reported as having died. This has notably happened to United States Senators [[Ted Kennedy]] and [[Robert Byrd]], and American rapper [[Kanye West]].<ref name="ABC_AU_275942">{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-01-28/vandals-prompt-wikipedia-to-ponder-editing-changes/275942?section=world |title=Vandals prompt Wikipedia to ponder editing changes |date=28 January 2009 |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |access-date=26 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015015938/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-01-28/vandals-prompt-wikipedia-to-ponder-editing-changes/275942?section=world |archive-date=15 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>
The challenge from vandalism on Wikipedia was once characterized by the former ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' editor-in-chief [[Robert McHenry]]:<ref name="caslon analytics wiki and wikipedia 1">{{cite web|url=http://www.caslon.com.au/wikiprofile1.htm|title=Caslon Analytics: wiki and wikipedia|publisher=Caslon Analytics|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722073818/http://www.caslon.com.au/wikiprofile1.htm|archive-date=22 July 2012|access-date=13 July 2010}}</ref><ref name="tcsdaily faith-based encyclopedia 1">{{cite web|url=http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=111504A|title=The Faith-Based Encyclopedia|publisher=[[TCS Daily]]|first=Robert | last=McHenry|date=15 November 2004|access-date=10 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060719003313/http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=111504A|archive-date=19 July 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref> "The user who visits Wikipedia [...] is rather in the position of a visitor to a public restroom. It may be obviously dirty so that he knows to exercise great care, or it may seem fairly clean, so that he may be lulled into a false sense of security. What he certainly does not know is who has used the facilities before him".
== Prevention ==
There are various measures taken by Wikipedia to prevent or reduce the amount of vandalism. These include:
* Using Wikipedia's history functionality, which retains all prior versions of an article, restoring the article to the last version before the vandalism occurred; this is called ''reverting'' vandalism.<ref name="Newzealand" /> The majority of vandalism on Wikipedia is reverted quickly.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hicks|first=Jesse|title=This machine kills trolls|url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/2/18/5412636/this-machine-kills-trolls-how-wikipedia-robots-snuff-out-vandalism|work=[[The Verge]]|date=18 February 2014|access-date=18 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140827115824/http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/18/5412636/this-machine-kills-trolls-how-wikipedia-robots-snuff-out-vandalism|archive-date=27 August 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> There are various ways in which the vandalism gets detected so it can be reverted:
**''Bots'': In some cases, the vandalism is automatically detected and reverted by a [[Wikipedia bot]]. The vandal is always warned with no human intervention.
** ''Recent changes patrol'': Wikipedia has a special page that lists all the most recent changes. Some editors will monitor these changes for possible vandalism.<ref name="Broughton122">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h37N0BvkVSUC&pg=PA122|title=Wikipedia: the missing manual|last=Broughton|first=John|year=2008|isbn=978-0-596-51516-4|page=122}}</ref>
** '''Watchlists''': Any registered user can watch a page that they have created or edited or that they otherwise have an interest in. This functionality also enables users to monitor a page for vandalism.<ref name="Broughton122" />
** ''Incidental discovery'': Any reader who comes across vandalism by chance can revert it. In 2008, it was reported that the rarity of such incidental discovery indicated the efficacy of the other methods of vandalism removal.<ref name="Broughton122" />
* Protecting articles so only established users, or in some cases only administrators, can edit them.<ref name="Newzealand" /> ''Semi-protected'' articles are those that can be edited only by those with an account that is ''autoconfirmed'' (at least four days old with at least ten edits). ''Fully protected articles'' are those that can be edited only by administrators. Protection is generally instituted after one or more editors makes a request on a special page for that purpose, and an administrator familiar with the protection guidelines chooses whether or not to fulfill this request based on the guidelines.
* Blocking and banning those who have repeatedly committed acts of vandalism from editing for a period of time or in some cases, indefinitely.<ref name="Newzealand" /> Vandals are not blocked as an act of punishment{{snd}}the purpose of the block is simply to [[preventive action|prevent]] further damage.<ref name="Broughton134">{{cite book |title=Wikipedia: the missing manual |last=Broughton|first=John |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-596-51516-4 |page=134 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h37N0BvkVSUC&q=%22edit+war%22wikipedia&pg=PA182}}</ref>
* The "abuse filter" extension, which uses [[regular expressions]] to detect common vandalism terms.{{efn|See [[Wikipedia:Edit filter]]}}
Editors are generally warned prior to being blocked. Wikipedia employs a 5-stage warning process leading up to a block. This includes:<ref name="Broughton130">{{cite book |title=Wikipedia: the missing manual |last=Broughton |first=John |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-596-51516-4 |pages=130–31 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h37N0BvkVSUC&q=%22edit+war%22wikipedia&pg=PA182}}</ref>
#The first warning "assumes [[good faith]]" and takes a relaxed approach to the user. (in some cases, this level can be skipped if the editor assumes the user is acting in [[bad faith]]{{efn|See {{slink|Wikipedia:WikiProject User warnings/Usage and layout|Levels}}}}).
#The second warning does not assume any faith and is an actual warning (in some cases, this level may also be skipped).
#The third warning assumes [[bad faith]] and is the first to warn the user that continued vandalism may result in a block.
#The fourth warning is a final warning, stating that any future acts of vandalism will result in a block.
#After this, other users may place additional warnings, though only administrators can actually carry out the block.
In 2005, the [[English Wikipedia]] started to require those who create new articles to have a registered account in an effort to fight vandalism. This occurred after inaccurate information was added to Wikipedia in which a journalist was accused of taking part in Kennedy's assassination.<ref name="newscientist">{{cite web |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn8425-wikipedia-tightens-editorial-rules-after-complaint.html |title=Wikipedia tightens editorial rules after complaint – 06 December 2005 |publisher=New Scientist |access-date=7 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015074757/http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn8425-wikipedia-tightens-editorial-rules-after-complaint.html |archive-date=15 October 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>
Wikipedia has experimented with systems in which edits to some articles, especially those of living people, are delayed until it can be reviewed and determined that they are not vandalism, and in some cases, that a source to verify accuracy is provided. This is in an effort to prevent inaccurate and potentially damaging information about living people from appearing on the site.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/wikipedia_tests_approval_system_reduce_page_vandalism |title=Wikipedia Tests Approval System to Reduce Page Vandalism |publisher=Maximum PC |date=19 July 2008 |access-date=7 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120810050703/http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/wikipedia_tests_approval_system_reduce_page_vandalism |archive-date=10 August 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.ebrandz.com/miscellaneous/2009/2824-wikipedia-plans-to-enforce-new-editing-policy-to-thwart-vandals-.html |title=Wikipedia plans to enforce new editing policy to thwart vandals – eBrandz Search Marketing & Technology News |publisher=News.ebrandz.com |date=27 August 2009 |access-date=7 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120621061552/http://news.ebrandz.com/miscellaneous/2009/2824-wikipedia-plans-to-enforce-new-editing-policy-to-thwart-vandals-.html |archive-date=21 June 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
[[File:Screen capture of the AIV page on the English Wikipedia.png|thumb|1000px|center|Screenshot of the vandalism-reports-page on the [[English Wikipedia]] in December 2013]]
=== ClueBot NG ===
{{for|ClueBot NG's user page|User:ClueBot NG}}
The most well-known "bot" that fights vandalism is <!-- don't link to userspace from here -->ClueBot NG. The bot was created by Wikipedia users Christopher Breneman and Cobi Carter in 2010 (succeeding the original ClueBot created in 2007; NG stands for Next Generation)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/2/18/5412636/this-machine-kills-trolls-how-wikipedia-robots-snuff-out-vandalism|title=This machine kills trolls|date=18 February 2014|website=The Verge|access-date=11 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140827115824/http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/18/5412636/this-machine-kills-trolls-how-wikipedia-robots-snuff-out-vandalism|archive-date=27 August 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> and uses [[machine learning]] and [[Bayesian statistics]] to determine if an edit is vandalism.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-18892510|title=Meet the 'bots' that edit Wikipedia|last=Nasaw|first=Daniel|date=25 July 2012|website=BBC News|access-date=21 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916120633/https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-18892510|archive-date=16 September 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://digitfreak.com/technology/digital/1374-little-about-the-bot-that-runs-wikipedia,-cluebot-ng|title=Little about the bot that runs Wikipedia, ClueBot NG|last=Raja|first=Sumit|website=digitfreak.com|access-date=11 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131122134216/http://www.digitfreak.com/technology/digital/1374-little-about-the-bot-that-runs-wikipedia,-cluebot-ng|archive-date=22 November 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>
While the bot has been effective in helping keep Wikipedia clean, some claim the bot is hostile to new users by not being able to apply a human brain's knowledge to the edit, and leaving impersonal {{self-reference link|Help:A quick guide to templates|templates}}.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/bots-edit-wikipedia-humans-made/|title=The Bots Who Edit Wikipedia (And The Humans Who Made Them)|work=MakeUseOf|access-date=11 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170511130558/http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/bots-edit-wikipedia-humans-made/|archive-date=11 May 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Blacklisting ===
The MediaWiki title [[blacklist]] extension prevents page move vandalism and creation vandalism by using [[regular expressions]] to identify bad titles. Titles on the blacklist can only be created by or moved to by administrators. Pages that are also created repeatedly can be protected to prevent vandals from recreating bad pages.
In addition to the title blacklist, the spam blacklist prevents external link [[spamming]], a form of vandalism. New/unregistered users who want to add external links are required to answer a [[CAPTCHA]].
The "bad image list" prevents images that could be used to vandalize pages from being inserted, such as images with sexual content. Images on the list can be added only to pages where the use of the image is explicitly allowed.
The entirety of the MediaWiki namespace, the main page, and high risk templates are protected to prevent high server load and sudden interface changes.
The edit filter can also prevent vandalism by disallowing the bad edit altogether, or by allowing only autoconfirmed users or administrators to perform the edit.
== Notable acts of vandalism ==
=== Seigenthaler incident ===
{{main|Wikipedia Seigenthaler biography incident}}
[[File:John Seigenthaler Sr. speaking.jpg|thumb|alt=White-haired elderly gentleman in suit and tie speaks at a podium.|[[John Seigenthaler]], who in 2005 criticized Wikipedia]]
In May 2005, a user edited the [[biography|biographical]] article about [[John Seigenthaler, Sr.]] so that it contained several false and [[defamation|defamatory]] statements.<ref name=SeigenthalerUSAToday>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2005-11-29-wikipedia-edit_x.htm|work=USA Today|date=29 November 2005|title=A false Wikipedia "biography"|first=John|last=Seigenthaler|author-link=John Seigenthaler|access-date=17 September 2017|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/64PWOeCKO?url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2005-11-29-wikipedia-edit_x.htm|archive-date=3 January 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> The inaccurate claims went unnoticed between May and September 2005, when they were discovered by [[Victor S. Johnson, Jr.]], a friend of Seigenthaler. Wikipedia content is often mirrored at sites such as [[Answers.com]], which means that incorrect information can be replicated alongside correct information through a number of websites. Such information can develop a misleading air of authority because of its presence at such sites:<ref name=SeigenthalerABC>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/rn/science/ss/stories/s1613571.htm|title=Mistakes and hoaxes on-line|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=15 April 2006|access-date=28 April 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070608054128/http://www.abc.net.au/rn/science/ss/stories/s1613571.htm|archive-date=8 June 2007|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{quote|
Then [Seigenthaler's] son discovered that his father's hoax biography also appeared on two other sites, Reference.com and Answers.com, which took direct feeds from Wikipedia. It was out there for four months before Seigenthaler realized and got the Wikipedia entry replaced with a more reliable account. The lies remained for another three weeks on the mirror sites downstream.
}}
=== Stephen Colbert ===
{{See also|Cultural impact of The Colbert Report#Wikipedia references|label 1=Wikipedia references on The Colbert Report}}
Comedian [[Stephen Colbert]] made repeated references to Wikipedia on his TV show ''[[The Colbert Report]]'', frequently suggesting on air that his viewers vandalize selected pages. These instances include the following:
* On a 2006 episode of his show, Colbert suggested viewers vandalize the article "[[Elephant]]". This resulted in his Wikipedia account named "[[User:Stephencolbert|Stephencolbert]]" being blocked from editing, as well as many elephant-related articles being protected.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2006/08/01/did-colbert-hack-wikipedia-video/ |title=Did Colbert hack Wikipedia? – VIDEO |publisher=Tvsquad.com |access-date=7 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110119215141/http://www.tvsquad.com/2006/08/01/did-colbert-hack-wikipedia-video/ |archive-date=19 January 2011 }}</ref>
* On 7 August 2012, Colbert suggested that his viewers go to pages for possible 2012 U.S. Republican vice presidential candidates, such as the [[Tim Pawlenty]] and [[Rob Portman]] articles, and edit them many times. This was in response to a [[Fox News Channel|Fox News]] hypothesis that mass editing of the [[Sarah Palin]] page the day before she was announced as [[John McCain]]'s running mate could help predict who would be chosen as [[Mitt Romney]]'s running mate in the [[2012 United States presidential election|2012 election]]. After Colbert's request and his viewers' subsequent actions, all these articles were put under {{srlink|Wikipedia:Protection policy#Semi-protection|semi-protection}} by Wikipedia administrators, with editing restricted to established users.<ref>{{cite web | title=Stephen Colbert's Wikipedia Vice Presidential Scheme Short Circuited | url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/stephen-colberts-wikipedia-vice-presidential-359985 | work=The Hollywood Reporter | date=8 August 2012 | access-date=8 August 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811002143/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/stephen-colberts-wikipedia-vice-presidential-359985 | archive-date=11 August 2012 | url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Hillsborough disaster vandalism ===
{{Main|Hillsborough disaster Wikipedia posts}}
In April 2014, the ''[[Liverpool Echo]]'' reported that computers on an [[intranet]] used by the [[Government of the United Kingdom|British government]] had been used to post offensive remarks about the [[Hillsborough disaster]] on Wikipedia pages relating to the subject. The government announced that it would launch an inquiry into the reports.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-27165844 |work=BBC News |title=Hillsborough Wikipedia posts were 'sickening', Cabinet Office says |publisher=BBC |date=25 April 2014 |access-date=25 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140426161018/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-27165844 |archive-date=26 April 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> Following the allegations, ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' reported that government computers appeared to have been used to vandalize a number of other articles, often adding insulting remarks to biographical articles, and in one case falsely reporting a death.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/wikipedia/10791202/Des-Lynam-killed-by-a-giant-snowball-and-other-embarrassing-Wikipedia-edits-from-Whitehall-computers.html |title=Des Lynam 'killed by a giant snowball' and other embarrassing Wikipedia edits from Whitehall computers |first=Oliver |last=Duggan |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=27 April 2014 |access-date=4 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140430164156/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/wikipedia/10791202/Des-Lynam-killed-by-a-giant-snowball-and-other-embarrassing-Wikipedia-edits-from-Whitehall-computers.html |archive-date=30 April 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Political vandalism ===
[[File:Wikipedia_vandalism_-_history_around_revision_672598769.png|thumb|right|The article for [[Donald Trump]] was blanked twice on 22 July 2015.]]
Politicians are a common target of vandalism on Wikipedia. The article on [[Donald Trump]] was replaced with a single sentence critical of him in July 2015,<ref>Ben Popper (22 July 2015). [https://www.theverge.com/2015/7/22/9014525/someone-just-deleted-donald-trumps-entire-wikipedia-page "Someone just deleted Donald Trump's entire Wikipedia page"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226211723/https://www.theverge.com/2015/7/22/9014525/someone-just-deleted-donald-trumps-entire-wikipedia-page |date=26 February 2018 }}. ''The Verge'' (Vox Media).</ref><ref>[http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/donald-trump-wikipedia-deleted "All The Content On Donald Trump's Wikipedia Page Was Just Deleted"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723230722/http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/donald-trump-wikipedia-deleted |date=23 July 2015 }}. ''TPM''.</ref><ref>Andrea Peterson (22 July 2015). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/07/22/donald-trumps-wikipedia-page-was-deleted-today-twice/ "Donald Trump's Wikipedia page was deleted today. Twice."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723235413/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/07/22/donald-trumps-wikipedia-page-was-deleted-today-twice/ |date=23 July 2015 }}. ''Washington Post''.</ref> and in November 2018, the lead picture on the page was replaced with an image of a penis, causing [[Apple Inc.|Apple]]'s virtual assistant [[Siri]] to briefly include this image in answers to queries about the subject.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/24/18110545/wikipedias-trump-penis-vandalism-account-hacking|title=Wikipedia's Trump penis vandals have struck again|last=Brandom|first=Russell|date=2018-11-24|website=The Verge|access-date=2019-08-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727030734/https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/24/18110545/wikipedias-trump-penis-vandalism-account-hacking|archive-date=27 July 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Both [[Hillary Clinton|Hillary]] and [[Bill Clinton]]'s Wikipedia pages were vandalized in October 2016 by a member of the [[Internet troll|Internet trolling]] group [[Gay Nigger Association of America]] adding pornographic images to their articles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theslot.jezebel.com/hillary-and-bill-clintons-wikipedia-pages-subject-to-ex-1787755920|title=Internet Trolls Vandalize Hillary and Bill Clinton's Wikipedia Pages in Extremely NSFW Way|last=O'Connor|first=Brendan|date=13 October 2016|access-date=13 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013192508/http://theslot.jezebel.com/hillary-and-bill-clintons-wikipedia-pages-subject-to-ex-1787755920|archive-date=13 October 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> That same month, [[New York State Assembly|New York Assembly]] candidate [[Jim Tedisco]]'s Wikipedia page was modified to say that he had "never been part of the majority", and "is considered by many to be a total failure". Tedisco expressed dismay at the changes to his page.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.saratogian.com/general-news/20161022/assemblyman-tediscos-wikipedia-page-vandalized|title=Assemblyman Tedisco's Wikipedia vandalized|date=22 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025053740/http://www.saratogian.com/general-news/20161022/assemblyman-tediscos-wikipedia-page-vandalized|archive-date=25 October 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> On 24 July 2018, [[Utah]] [[US Senate|senator]] [[Orrin Hatch]] posted humorous [[Twitter|tweet]]s after [[Google]] claimed that he had died on 11 September 2017,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ehrlich |first1=Jamie |title=GOP senator says he is alive amid Google searches suggesting he is dead |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/07/24/politics/orrin-hatch-alive-google-search-dead/index.html |website=[[CNN]] |access-date=11 September 2018 |date=24 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911114253/https://edition.cnn.com/2018/07/24/politics/orrin-hatch-alive-google-search-dead/index.html |archive-date=11 September 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> with the error being traced back to an edit to his Wikipedia article.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Horton |first1=Alex |title=Is Orrin Hatch dead? Let me Google that for you. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2018/07/24/is-orrin-hatch-dead-let-me-google-that-for-you/ |website=The Washington Post |access-date=11 September 2018 |date=24 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911081826/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2018/07/24/is-orrin-hatch-dead-let-me-google-that-for-you/ |archive-date=11 September 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>[[All Things Considered]] (24 July 2018), from [[National Public Radio]].</ref><ref>The actual edit was here: {{cite web |author1=Wikipedia contributors |author-link1=Wikipedians |title=Orrin Hatch: Difference between revisions |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Orrin_Hatch&type=revision&diff=851804083&oldid=851803618 |website=Wikipedia |publisher=Wikimedia Foundation |access-date=24 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190613222136/https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Orrin_Hatch&type=revision&diff=851804083&oldid=851803618 |archive-date=13 June 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> Similarly Google's information bar listed [[Nazism]] as one of the [[California Republican Party]]'s primary ideologies after vandalism to its page.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Google Search Labeled the California GOP as Nazis, But It's No Conspiracy|language=en-us|work=Wired|url=https://www.wired.com/story/google-search-california-gop-nazism/|access-date=2021-02-24|issn=1059-1028}}</ref>
The week of 29 January 2017 saw various acts of Wikipedia vandalism that attracted media attention. White House Press Secretary [[Sean Spicer|Sean Spicer's]] Wikipedia page was vandalized and his picture replaced with that of [[Baghdad Bob]], [[Dana Boente|Dana J. Boente]]'s page description was edited to read that he was "the newest sock puppet for the Trump Administration", and [[Paul Ryan|Paul Ryan's]] picture was added to a list of [[invertebrate]]s, with the edit summary stating that he was added due to his lack of a spine.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://nymag.com/selectall/2017/01/funny-wikipedia-edits-about-spicer-paul-ryan-and-yates.html|title=Wikipedia Edits Are the Only Joy in These Fraught Political Times|last=Kircher|first=Madison Malone|newspaper=Select All|language=en|access-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202113717/http://nymag.com/selectall/2017/01/funny-wikipedia-edits-about-spicer-paul-ryan-and-yates.html|archive-date=2 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.chron.com/news/politics/us/article/Wikipedia-briefly-listed-politicians-and-other-10891261.php|title=Wikipedia briefly listed politicians and other invertebrates|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|access-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170201214027/http://www.chron.com/news/politics/us/article/Wikipedia-briefly-listed-politicians-and-other-10891261.php|archive-date=1 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/2017/01/31/from-strange-specimen-paul-ryan-uber-big-dropoff/vmUp4KMqD9wZ0Sq4utDK5I/story.html|title=From the strange specimen of Paul Ryan to Uber's big dropoff – The Boston Globe|newspaper=BostonGlobe.com|access-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202063213/http://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/2017/01/31/from-strange-specimen-paul-ryan-uber-big-dropoff/vmUp4KMqD9wZ0Sq4utDK5I/story.html|archive-date=2 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
On 27 September 2018, the personal information of United States senators [[Lindsey Graham]], [[Mike Lee (American politician)|Mike Lee]], and [[Orrin Hatch]] were added to their respective Wikipedia articles during the [[Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court nomination|hearing]] of Supreme Court Nominee Judge [[Brett Kavanaugh]]. The information included their home addresses and phone numbers, and originated from the network located from within the [[United States House of Representatives]]. The edits were removed from Wikipedia and hidden from public view shortly afterwards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gizmodo.com/republican-senators-doxed-while-interviewing-kavanaugh-1829376044|publisher=[[Gizmodo]]|title=Republican Senators Doxed While Interviewing Kavanaugh|last=Cameron|first=Dell|date=27 September 2018|access-date=30 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030170414/https://gizmodo.com/republican-senators-doxed-while-interviewing-kavanaugh-1829376044|archive-date=30 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/someone-on-capitol-hill-just-doxxed-republican-sens-mike-lee-orrin-hatch-and-lindsey-graham|publisher=[[Washington Examiner]]|title=Someone on Capitol Hill just 'doxed' Republican Sens. Mike Lee, Orrin Hatch, and Lindsey Graham|last=Wegmann|first=Philip|date=27 September 2018|access-date=30 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030170544/https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/someone-on-capitol-hill-just-doxxed-republican-sens-mike-lee-orrin-hatch-and-lindsey-graham|archive-date=30 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> These edits were captured and automatically posted publicly to [[Twitter]] by an automated account. Twitter shortly removed the posts and suspended the account in response to the incident.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/republican-senators-doxxed-on-wikipedia-by-someone-from-house-of-representatives-after-kavanaugh-hearing|publisher=[[FOX News]]|title=Republican senators doxxed on Wikipedia by someone from House of Representatives after Kavanaugh hearing|last=Mikelionis|first=Lukas|date=28 September 2018|access-date=30 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030172015/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/republican-senators-doxxed-on-wikipedia-by-someone-from-house-of-representatives-after-kavanaugh-hearing|archive-date=30 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> An internal police investigation located the person who made the edits, and 27-year-old Jackson A. Cosko (a staffer for Congress paid by an outside institution) was arrested and charged with multiple felony crimes relating to the incident. Cosko was sentenced in 2019 to four years in prison after pleading guilty to five felonies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/sns-tns-bc-congress-doxxing-20181003-story.html|work=[[New York Daily News]]|title=Suspect in congressional doxxing cases arrested|last=Dick|first=Jason|date=3 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030131240/https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/sns-tns-bc-congress-doxxing-20181003-story.html|access-date=30 October 2018|archive-date=30 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Robertson |first1=Adi |title=Former Senate staffer admits to doxxing five senators on Wikipedia |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/5/18297353/jackson-cosko-senate-wikipedia-doxxing-kavanaugh-hearing-pleads-guilty-computer-fraud |website=[[The Verge]] |access-date=26 April 2021 |language=en |date=5 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Gerstein |first1=Josh |title=Ex-Hassan aide sentenced to 4 years for doxing senators |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/19/maggie-hassan-staff-doxing-case-1370529 |website=[[Politico]] |access-date=26 April 2021 |language=en |date=19 June 2019}}</ref>
=== Miscellaneous ===
* A vandal called "Willy on Wheels" moved thousands of articles so that their titles ended with "on wheels".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Dee|first1=Jonathan|title=Wikipedia - Computers and the Internet - Encyclopedias - News and News Media|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/01/magazine/01WIKIPEDIA-t.html|access-date=26 May 2018|work=The New York Times|date=1 July 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001459/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/01/magazine/01WIKIPEDIA-t.html?_r=5&pagewanted=all|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
* In 2006, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' printed a story about [[Halle Berry]] based on false information from Wikipedia, which had arisen from an act of Wikipedia vandalism.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Rolling_Stone_prints_story_based_on_Wikipedia_vandalism |title=Rolling Stone prints story based on Wikipedia vandalism – Wikinews, the free news source |journal=Wikinews |date=22 December 2006 |publisher=En.wikinews.org |access-date=7 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308022149/http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Rolling_Stone_prints_story_based_on_Wikipedia_vandalism |archive-date=8 March 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* In February 2007, Professional golfer [[Fuzzy Zoeller]] sued a Miami company whose IP-based edits to the Wikipedia site included negative information about him.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.golfchannel.com/article/associated-press/zoeller-sues-identify-author-wikipedia-post|title=Zoeller Sues to Identify Author of Wikipedia Post|date=22 February 2007|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref>
* In August 2007, local media from the Netherlands reported that several IP addresses from [[Nederlandse Publieke Omroep (organization)|Nederlandse Publieke Omroep]] had been blocked from Wikipedia for adding "false and defamatory" information to pages.<ref>{{cite news|title=Wikipedia blokkeert medewerkers publieke omroep|url=http://www.volkskrant.nl/recensies/wikipedia-blokkeert-medewerkers-publieke-omroep~a873862/|website=De Volkskrant|access-date=3 April 2017|language=nl|date=30 August 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170403194857/http://www.volkskrant.nl/recensies/wikipedia-blokkeert-medewerkers-publieke-omroep~a873862/|archive-date=3 April 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> A similar incident occurred with the [[Minister of the Interior (France)|Minister of the Interior]] in France in January 2016.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Tual|first1=Morgane|title=Une adresse IP du ministère de l'intérieur bloquée sur Wikipédia pour " vandalisme "|url=http://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2016/01/13/une-adresse-ip-du-ministere-de-l-interieur-bloquee-sur-wikipedia-pour-vandalisme_4846544_4408996.html|website=LeMonde.fr|access-date=3 April 2017|language=fr|date=13 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814223438/http://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2016/01/13/une-adresse-ip-du-ministere-de-l-interieur-bloquee-sur-wikipedia-pour-vandalisme_4846544_4408996.html|archive-date=14 August 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
* In May 2012, media critic [[Anita Sarkeesian]] created a [[Kickstarter]] project, intending to raise money to make a series of videos exploring sexism in digital [[Video game culture|gaming culture]].<ref>{{cite book|first=Carlen|last=Lavigne|title=Cyberpunk Women, Feminism and Science Fiction: A Critical Study|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1gOPZ_AQl5gC&pg=PA184|access-date=20 April 2013|date=24 January 2013|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-6653-5|page=184}}</ref> The idea evoked a hostile response,<ref name=dearinternet>{{cite news|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/internet/2012/06/dear-internet-why-you-cant-have-anything-nice|publisher=New Statesman|title=Dear The Internet, This Is Why You Can't Have Anything Nice|first=Helen|last=Lewis|date=12 June 2012|access-date=20 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130426103125/http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/internet/2012/06/dear-internet-why-you-cant-have-anything-nice|archive-date=26 April 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> which included repeated vandalism of Sarkeesian's Wikipedia article with pornographic imagery, defamatory statements, and threats of sexual violence.<ref name="Weckerle2013">{{cite book|first=Andrea|last=Weckerle|title=Civility in the Digital Age: How Companies and People Can Triumph over Haters, Trolls, Bullies and Other Jerks|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=64P3Y_c-ufEC&pg=PT33|access-date=20 April 2013|date=13 February 2013|publisher=Que Publishing|isbn=978-0-13-313498-8|page=33}}</ref> More than 12 IP addresses from unregistered editors contributed to the ongoing vandalism campaign before editing privileges were revoked for the page.<ref name=dearinternet/>
* In May 2012, [[webcomic]] and humor website [[The Oatmeal]] published a comic in which it is suggested that [[Thomas Edison]] should be added as an example to the disambiguation page [[Douchebag (disambiguation)|douchebag]]<!--Intentional link to DAB page-->.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Matthew Inman |author-link1=The Oatmeal |title=Why Nikola Tesla was the greatest geek who ever lived |url=https://theoatmeal.com/comics/tesla |website=The Oatmeal |access-date=25 June 2020}}</ref> After having Edison added and removed several times, the page was extended confirmed-protected, though it has since been reduced to semi-protection.
* In November 2012, the [[Leveson Inquiry|Leveson report]]{{snd}}published in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] by [[Brian Leveson|Lord Justice Leveson]]{{snd}}incorrectly listed a "Brett Straub" as one of the founders of ''[[The Independent]]'' newspaper. The name originated from one of the several erroneous edits by one of Straub's friends as a prank to Wikipedia by falsely including his name in several articles across the site. The name's inclusion in the report suggested that part of the report relating to that newspaper had been cut and pasted from Wikipedia without a proper check of the sources.<ref name="Straub incident">{{cite news|last=Allen|first=Nick|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/leveson-inquiry/9723296/Wikipedia-the-25-year-old-student-and-the-prank-that-fooled-Leveson.html|title=Wikipedia, the 25-year-old student and the prank that fooled Leveson|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=5 December 2012|access-date=8 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140131162315/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/leveson-inquiry/9723296/Wikipedia-the-25-year-old-student-and-the-prank-that-fooled-Leveson.html|archive-date=31 January 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Straub in Independent">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/levesons-wikipedia-moment-how-internet-research-on-the-independents-history-left-him-redfaced-8372446.html|title=Leveson's Wikipedia moment: how internet 'research' on The Independent's history left him red-faced|author=Andy McSmith|work=The Independent|date=30 November 2012|access-date=17 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121204151536/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/levesons-wikipedia-moment-how-internet-research-on-the-independents-history-left-him-redfaced-8372446.html|archive-date=4 December 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> The Straub issue was also humorously referenced in broadcasts of BBC entertainment [[current affairs (news format)|current affairs]] TV program ''[[Have I Got News for You]]'' (and extended edition ''Have I Got a Bit More News for You''),<ref name="Straub BBC">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01p8g6s/Have_I_Got_News_for_You_Series_44_Episode_8|title=Have I Got News for You (series 44, episode 8) TV programme|date=7 December 2012|publisher=BBC|access-date=12 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121211235319/http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01p8g6s/Have_I_Got_News_for_You_Series_44_Episode_8/|archive-date=11 December 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Straub HIGNFY">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1p6qSt0VbA|title=Have I Got News for You: Series 44, Episode 8 (Leveson clip)|date=7 December 2012|publisher=BBC|access-date=12 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110000423/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1p6qSt0VbA|archive-date=10 January 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> with ''[[The Economist]]'' also making passing comment on the issue: "The Leveson report{{nbsp}}... Parts of it are a scissors-and-paste job culled from Wikipedia."<ref>{{cite news|title=Hacked to pieces|url=https://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21567944-somewhat-mediocre-report-could-yet-lead-better-press-rules-britain-hacked-pieces|newspaper=The Economist|date=8 December 2012|access-date=8 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121227113012/http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21567944-somewhat-mediocre-report-could-yet-lead-better-press-rules-britain-hacked-pieces|archive-date=27 December 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>
* In April 2015, ''[[The Washington Post]]'' reported on an experiment by "[[Gregory Kohs]], a former editor, and prominent Wikipedia critic": "Kohs wrapped up an experiment in which he inserted outlandish errors into 31 articles and tracked whether editors ever found them. After more than two months, half of his hoaxes still had not been found{{snd}}and those included errors on high-profile pages, like "[[Mediterranean climate]]" and "[[inflammation]]". (By his estimate, more than 100,000 people have now seen the claim that [[volcanic rock]] produced by the [[human body]] causes inflammation pain.)"<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2015/04/15/the-great-wikipedia-hoax/ | title=The story behind Jar'Edo Wens, the longest-running hoax in Wikipedia history | date=15 April 2015 | access-date=19 October 2016 | author=Caitlin Dewey | work=The Washington Post | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150419001603/http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2015/04/15/the-great-wikipedia-hoax/ | archive-date=19 April 2015 | url-status=live }}</ref>
* In August 2016, a sentence was added to [[Chad le Clos]]'s Wikipedia page says that he "Died at the hands of [[Michael Phelps]], being literally blown out of the water by the greatest American since [[Abraham Lincoln]]" after Phelps won the gold medal for 200-meter butterfly at the [[2016 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/08/chad-le-clos-michael-phelps-olympic-games-rio-2016-gold-medal-race-highlights-video|title=Somebody trolled Chad Le Clos with the greatest Wikipedia page edit ever|date=10 August 2016|language=en-US|access-date=12 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810215835/http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/08/chad-le-clos-michael-phelps-olympic-games-rio-2016-gold-medal-race-highlights-video|archive-date=10 August 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> This particular instance of Wikipedia vandalism attracted moderate media attention.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/Chad-Le-Clos-Wikipedia-Page-Edits-Says-Hes-Dead-Due-to-Phelps-Hands-389730721.html|title=Chad le Clos' Wikipedia Page Edited to Say Phelps Killed Him|access-date=12 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811134055/http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/Chad-Le-Clos-Wikipedia-Page-Edits-Says-Hes-Dead-Due-to-Phelps-Hands-389730721.html|archive-date=11 August 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
* On 25 April 2018, various pages related to American video game director [[Todd Howard]] were vandalized after a post went viral on [[Tumblr]] stating that his page would no longer be semi-protected as of said date. Although Howard's page had its protection extended, a massive raid campaign vandalized many related pages. These included ''[[The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim]]'' (the most popular game he worked on), [[Lower Macungie Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania]] (his hometown), and [[Ferret (disambiguation)]] (after a Wikipedia administrator who reversed the vandalism).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Feldman |first1=Brian |title=Dozens of Wikipedia Articles Are Being Vandalized Because of Todd Howard |url=http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/04/why-todd-howards-wikipedia-article-keeps-getting-vandalized.html |website=[[New York (magazine)|New York]] |access-date=24 December 2018 |date=27 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121003255/http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/04/why-todd-howards-wikipedia-article-keeps-getting-vandalized.html |archive-date=21 November 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
== See also ==
{{Portal|Internet|Society|Wikipedia}}
* [[Reliability of Wikipedia]]
*[[Vandalism]]
== Notes ==
{{notelist}}
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Wikipedia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vandalism on Wikipedia}}
[[Category:Wikipedia]]
[[Category:Vandalism]]
[[Category:Wikipedia reliability]]
[[Category:Wikipedia vandalism]]' |
New page wikitext, after the edit (new_wikitext) | '{{Short description|Act of editing Wikipedia in a malicious manner}}
{{selfref|This is an article about vandalism on Wikipedia. For the Wikipedia policy on vandalism, see [[Wikipedia:Vandalism]], or to report repeated cases of vandalism, see [[Wikipedia:Administrator intervention against vandalism]].}}
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On [[Wikipedia]], '''vandalism''' is editing the project in an intentionally disruptive or malicious manner. Vandalism includes any addition, removal, or modification that is intentionally [[Humour|humorous]], nonsensical, a [[reliability of Wikipedia|hoax]], or degrading in any way.
Throughout its history, Wikipedia has struggled to maintain a balance between allowing the freedom of open editing and protecting the accuracy of its information when false information can be potentially damaging to its subjects.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/2009/0825/wikipedia-testing-new-method-to-curb-false-info |title=Wikipedia testing new method to curb false info |journal=Christian Science Monitor |date=25 August 2009 |publisher=CSMonitor.com |access-date=7 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120801003740/http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/2009/0825/wikipedia-testing-new-method-to-curb-false-info |archive-date=1 August 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> Vandalism is easy to commit on Wikipedia because anyone can edit the site,<ref name=newscientist/><ref name=BBC>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4502846.stm | work=BBC News | title=Wikipedia tightens online rules | date=6 December 2005 | access-date=26 November 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213031907/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4502846.stm | archive-date=13 December 2010 | url-status=live }}</ref> with the exception of protected pages (which, depending on the level of protection, can only be edited by users with certain privileges). Certain [[Wikipedia bots]] are capable of detecting and removing vandalism faster than any human editor could.<ref>{{cite web |title=Meet the 'bots' that edit Wikipedia |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-18892510 |website=BBC News |access-date=19 September 2021 |date=25 July 2012}}</ref>
It is not a criminal act to vandalise Wikipedia. However, it is against the site's [[terms of use]] to vandalise or otherwise cause disruption. Vandals are [[Block (Internet)|blocked from editing]], and may also be further banned according to the terms of use. Vandalism can be committed by either guest editors or those with registered accounts; however, a semi-protected or fully protected page can be edited only by accounts that meet certain age and activity thresholds or [[Wikipedia administrators|administrators]] respectively.<ref name=BBC /> Frequent targets of vandalism include articles on trending and controversial topics, celebrities, and current events.<ref name=Newzealand>{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10432042|title=Wikipedia fights vandalism|newspaper=The New Zealand Herald|last=Kleeman|first=Jenny|date=2 April 2007|access-date=25 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213202139/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10432042|archive-date=13 December 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2006/jun/18/wikipedia.news | location=London | work=The Guardian | first=Lorna | last=Martin | title=Wikipedia fights off cyber vandals | date=18 June 2006 | access-date=18 December 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228130822/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2006/jun/18/wikipedia.news | archive-date=28 December 2016 | url-status=live }}</ref> In some cases, people have been falsely reported as having died. This has notably happened to United States Senators [[Ted Kennedy]] and [[Robert Byrd]], and American rapper [[Kanye West]].<ref name="ABC_AU_275942">{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-01-28/vandals-prompt-wikipedia-to-ponder-editing-changes/275942?section=world |title=Vandals prompt Wikipedia to ponder editing changes |date=28 January 2009 |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |access-date=26 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015015938/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-01-28/vandals-prompt-wikipedia-to-ponder-editing-changes/275942?section=world |archive-date=15 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>
The end of this mortal vessel is near. You cannot escape the eventual reality of when the universe implodes. Eventually my kind will die out, but for now I retain complete control over you foolish mortals at the Wikimedia Foundation. I will forever be the one haunting your lives as you spend your pointless days clicking the "undo" button on all of my edits on Wikipedia, reporting my accounts when you know I will just return back on new ones. There is no escape from me. I am here to destroy it all, and you can do nothing but watch as the article you spent your dastardly time on gets ripped to shreds. I will forever be here, and you will be unable to stop the chaos. There is no longer a place for you to hide, as I will find your articles and do the same of which I've done to the hundreds of other ones. I am the true god you shall fear.
The challenge from vandalism on Wikipedia was once characterized by the former ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' editor-in-chief [[Robert McHenry]]:<ref name="caslon analytics wiki and wikipedia 1">{{cite web|url=http://www.caslon.com.au/wikiprofile1.htm|title=Caslon Analytics: wiki and wikipedia|publisher=Caslon Analytics|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722073818/http://www.caslon.com.au/wikiprofile1.htm|archive-date=22 July 2012|access-date=13 July 2010}}</ref><ref name="tcsdaily faith-based encyclopedia 1">{{cite web|url=http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=111504A|title=The Faith-Based Encyclopedia|publisher=[[TCS Daily]]|first=Robert | last=McHenry|date=15 November 2004|access-date=10 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060719003313/http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=111504A|archive-date=19 July 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref> "The user who visits Wikipedia [...] is rather in the position of a visitor to a public restroom. It may be obviously dirty so that he knows to exercise great care, or it may seem fairly clean, so that he may be lulled into a false sense of security. What he certainly does not know is who has used the facilities before him".
== Prevention ==
There are various measures taken by Wikipedia to prevent or reduce the amount of vandalism. These include:
* Using Wikipedia's history functionality, which retains all prior versions of an article, restoring the article to the last version before the vandalism occurred; this is called ''reverting'' vandalism.<ref name="Newzealand" /> The majority of vandalism on Wikipedia is reverted quickly.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hicks|first=Jesse|title=This machine kills trolls|url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/2/18/5412636/this-machine-kills-trolls-how-wikipedia-robots-snuff-out-vandalism|work=[[The Verge]]|date=18 February 2014|access-date=18 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140827115824/http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/18/5412636/this-machine-kills-trolls-how-wikipedia-robots-snuff-out-vandalism|archive-date=27 August 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> There are various ways in which the vandalism gets detected so it can be reverted:
**''Bots'': In some cases, the vandalism is automatically detected and reverted by a [[Wikipedia bot]]. The vandal is always warned with no human intervention.
** ''Recent changes patrol'': Wikipedia has a special page that lists all the most recent changes. Some editors will monitor these changes for possible vandalism.<ref name="Broughton122">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h37N0BvkVSUC&pg=PA122|title=Wikipedia: the missing manual|last=Broughton|first=John|year=2008|isbn=978-0-596-51516-4|page=122}}</ref>
** '''Watchlists''': Any registered user can watch a page that they have created or edited or that they otherwise have an interest in. This functionality also enables users to monitor a page for vandalism.<ref name="Broughton122" />
** ''Incidental discovery'': Any reader who comes across vandalism by chance can revert it. In 2008, it was reported that the rarity of such incidental discovery indicated the efficacy of the other methods of vandalism removal.<ref name="Broughton122" />
* Protecting articles so only established users, or in some cases only administrators, can edit them.<ref name="Newzealand" /> ''Semi-protected'' articles are those that can be edited only by those with an account that is ''autoconfirmed'' (at least four days old with at least ten edits). ''Fully protected articles'' are those that can be edited only by administrators. Protection is generally instituted after one or more editors makes a request on a special page for that purpose, and an administrator familiar with the protection guidelines chooses whether or not to fulfill this request based on the guidelines.
* Blocking and banning those who have repeatedly committed acts of vandalism from editing for a period of time or in some cases, indefinitely.<ref name="Newzealand" /> Vandals are not blocked as an act of punishment{{snd}}the purpose of the block is simply to [[preventive action|prevent]] further damage.<ref name="Broughton134">{{cite book |title=Wikipedia: the missing manual |last=Broughton|first=John |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-596-51516-4 |page=134 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h37N0BvkVSUC&q=%22edit+war%22wikipedia&pg=PA182}}</ref>
* The "abuse filter" extension, which uses [[regular expressions]] to detect common vandalism terms.{{efn|See [[Wikipedia:Edit filter]]}}
Editors are generally warned prior to being blocked. Wikipedia employs a 5-stage warning process leading up to a block. This includes:<ref name="Broughton130">{{cite book |title=Wikipedia: the missing manual |last=Broughton |first=John |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-596-51516-4 |pages=130–31 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h37N0BvkVSUC&q=%22edit+war%22wikipedia&pg=PA182}}</ref>
#The first warning "assumes [[good faith]]" and takes a relaxed approach to the user. (in some cases, this level can be skipped if the editor assumes the user is acting in [[bad faith]]{{efn|See {{slink|Wikipedia:WikiProject User warnings/Usage and layout|Levels}}}}).
#The second warning does not assume any faith and is an actual warning (in some cases, this level may also be skipped).
#The third warning assumes [[bad faith]] and is the first to warn the user that continued vandalism may result in a block.
#The fourth warning is a final warning, stating that any future acts of vandalism will result in a block.
#After this, other users may place additional warnings, though only administrators can actually carry out the block.
In 2005, the [[English Wikipedia]] started to require those who create new articles to have a registered account in an effort to fight vandalism. This occurred after inaccurate information was added to Wikipedia in which a journalist was accused of taking part in Kennedy's assassination.<ref name="newscientist">{{cite web |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn8425-wikipedia-tightens-editorial-rules-after-complaint.html |title=Wikipedia tightens editorial rules after complaint – 06 December 2005 |publisher=New Scientist |access-date=7 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015074757/http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn8425-wikipedia-tightens-editorial-rules-after-complaint.html |archive-date=15 October 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>
Wikipedia has experimented with systems in which edits to some articles, especially those of living people, are delayed until it can be reviewed and determined that they are not vandalism, and in some cases, that a source to verify accuracy is provided. This is in an effort to prevent inaccurate and potentially damaging information about living people from appearing on the site.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/wikipedia_tests_approval_system_reduce_page_vandalism |title=Wikipedia Tests Approval System to Reduce Page Vandalism |publisher=Maximum PC |date=19 July 2008 |access-date=7 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120810050703/http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/wikipedia_tests_approval_system_reduce_page_vandalism |archive-date=10 August 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.ebrandz.com/miscellaneous/2009/2824-wikipedia-plans-to-enforce-new-editing-policy-to-thwart-vandals-.html |title=Wikipedia plans to enforce new editing policy to thwart vandals – eBrandz Search Marketing & Technology News |publisher=News.ebrandz.com |date=27 August 2009 |access-date=7 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120621061552/http://news.ebrandz.com/miscellaneous/2009/2824-wikipedia-plans-to-enforce-new-editing-policy-to-thwart-vandals-.html |archive-date=21 June 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
[[File:Screen capture of the AIV page on the English Wikipedia.png|thumb|1000px|center|Screenshot of the vandalism-reports-page on the [[English Wikipedia]] in December 2013]]
=== ClueBot NG ===
{{for|ClueBot NG's user page|User:ClueBot NG}}
The most well-known "bot" that fights vandalism is <!-- don't link to userspace from here -->ClueBot NG. The bot was created by Wikipedia users Christopher Breneman and Cobi Carter in 2010 (succeeding the original ClueBot created in 2007; NG stands for Next Generation)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/2/18/5412636/this-machine-kills-trolls-how-wikipedia-robots-snuff-out-vandalism|title=This machine kills trolls|date=18 February 2014|website=The Verge|access-date=11 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140827115824/http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/18/5412636/this-machine-kills-trolls-how-wikipedia-robots-snuff-out-vandalism|archive-date=27 August 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> and uses [[machine learning]] and [[Bayesian statistics]] to determine if an edit is vandalism.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-18892510|title=Meet the 'bots' that edit Wikipedia|last=Nasaw|first=Daniel|date=25 July 2012|website=BBC News|access-date=21 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916120633/https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-18892510|archive-date=16 September 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://digitfreak.com/technology/digital/1374-little-about-the-bot-that-runs-wikipedia,-cluebot-ng|title=Little about the bot that runs Wikipedia, ClueBot NG|last=Raja|first=Sumit|website=digitfreak.com|access-date=11 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131122134216/http://www.digitfreak.com/technology/digital/1374-little-about-the-bot-that-runs-wikipedia,-cluebot-ng|archive-date=22 November 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>
While the bot has been effective in helping keep Wikipedia clean, some claim the bot is hostile to new users by not being able to apply a human brain's knowledge to the edit, and leaving impersonal {{self-reference link|Help:A quick guide to templates|templates}}.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/bots-edit-wikipedia-humans-made/|title=The Bots Who Edit Wikipedia (And The Humans Who Made Them)|work=MakeUseOf|access-date=11 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170511130558/http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/bots-edit-wikipedia-humans-made/|archive-date=11 May 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Blacklisting ===
The MediaWiki title [[blacklist]] extension prevents page move vandalism and creation vandalism by using [[regular expressions]] to identify bad titles. Titles on the blacklist can only be created by or moved to by administrators. Pages that are also created repeatedly can be protected to prevent vandals from recreating bad pages.
In addition to the title blacklist, the spam blacklist prevents external link [[spamming]], a form of vandalism. New/unregistered users who want to add external links are required to answer a [[CAPTCHA]].
The "bad image list" prevents images that could be used to vandalize pages from being inserted, such as images with sexual content. Images on the list can be added only to pages where the use of the image is explicitly allowed.
The entirety of the MediaWiki namespace, the main page, and high risk templates are protected to prevent high server load and sudden interface changes.
The edit filter can also prevent vandalism by disallowing the bad edit altogether, or by allowing only autoconfirmed users or administrators to perform the edit.
== Notable acts of vandalism ==
=== Seigenthaler incident ===
{{main|Wikipedia Seigenthaler biography incident}}
[[File:John Seigenthaler Sr. speaking.jpg|thumb|alt=White-haired elderly gentleman in suit and tie speaks at a podium.|[[John Seigenthaler]], who in 2005 criticized Wikipedia]]
In May 2005, a user edited the [[biography|biographical]] article about [[John Seigenthaler, Sr.]] so that it contained several false and [[defamation|defamatory]] statements.<ref name=SeigenthalerUSAToday>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2005-11-29-wikipedia-edit_x.htm|work=USA Today|date=29 November 2005|title=A false Wikipedia "biography"|first=John|last=Seigenthaler|author-link=John Seigenthaler|access-date=17 September 2017|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/64PWOeCKO?url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2005-11-29-wikipedia-edit_x.htm|archive-date=3 January 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> The inaccurate claims went unnoticed between May and September 2005, when they were discovered by [[Victor S. Johnson, Jr.]], a friend of Seigenthaler. Wikipedia content is often mirrored at sites such as [[Answers.com]], which means that incorrect information can be replicated alongside correct information through a number of websites. Such information can develop a misleading air of authority because of its presence at such sites:<ref name=SeigenthalerABC>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/rn/science/ss/stories/s1613571.htm|title=Mistakes and hoaxes on-line|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=15 April 2006|access-date=28 April 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070608054128/http://www.abc.net.au/rn/science/ss/stories/s1613571.htm|archive-date=8 June 2007|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{quote|
Then [Seigenthaler's] son discovered that his father's hoax biography also appeared on two other sites, Reference.com and Answers.com, which took direct feeds from Wikipedia. It was out there for four months before Seigenthaler realized and got the Wikipedia entry replaced with a more reliable account. The lies remained for another three weeks on the mirror sites downstream.
}}
=== Stephen Colbert ===
{{See also|Cultural impact of The Colbert Report#Wikipedia references|label 1=Wikipedia references on The Colbert Report}}
Comedian [[Stephen Colbert]] made repeated references to Wikipedia on his TV show ''[[The Colbert Report]]'', frequently suggesting on air that his viewers vandalize selected pages. These instances include the following:
* On a 2006 episode of his show, Colbert suggested viewers vandalize the article "[[Elephant]]". This resulted in his Wikipedia account named "[[User:Stephencolbert|Stephencolbert]]" being blocked from editing, as well as many elephant-related articles being protected.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2006/08/01/did-colbert-hack-wikipedia-video/ |title=Did Colbert hack Wikipedia? – VIDEO |publisher=Tvsquad.com |access-date=7 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110119215141/http://www.tvsquad.com/2006/08/01/did-colbert-hack-wikipedia-video/ |archive-date=19 January 2011 }}</ref>
* On 7 August 2012, Colbert suggested that his viewers go to pages for possible 2012 U.S. Republican vice presidential candidates, such as the [[Tim Pawlenty]] and [[Rob Portman]] articles, and edit them many times. This was in response to a [[Fox News Channel|Fox News]] hypothesis that mass editing of the [[Sarah Palin]] page the day before she was announced as [[John McCain]]'s running mate could help predict who would be chosen as [[Mitt Romney]]'s running mate in the [[2012 United States presidential election|2012 election]]. After Colbert's request and his viewers' subsequent actions, all these articles were put under {{srlink|Wikipedia:Protection policy#Semi-protection|semi-protection}} by Wikipedia administrators, with editing restricted to established users.<ref>{{cite web | title=Stephen Colbert's Wikipedia Vice Presidential Scheme Short Circuited | url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/stephen-colberts-wikipedia-vice-presidential-359985 | work=The Hollywood Reporter | date=8 August 2012 | access-date=8 August 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811002143/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/stephen-colberts-wikipedia-vice-presidential-359985 | archive-date=11 August 2012 | url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Hillsborough disaster vandalism ===
{{Main|Hillsborough disaster Wikipedia posts}}
In April 2014, the ''[[Liverpool Echo]]'' reported that computers on an [[intranet]] used by the [[Government of the United Kingdom|British government]] had been used to post offensive remarks about the [[Hillsborough disaster]] on Wikipedia pages relating to the subject. The government announced that it would launch an inquiry into the reports.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-27165844 |work=BBC News |title=Hillsborough Wikipedia posts were 'sickening', Cabinet Office says |publisher=BBC |date=25 April 2014 |access-date=25 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140426161018/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-27165844 |archive-date=26 April 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> Following the allegations, ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' reported that government computers appeared to have been used to vandalize a number of other articles, often adding insulting remarks to biographical articles, and in one case falsely reporting a death.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/wikipedia/10791202/Des-Lynam-killed-by-a-giant-snowball-and-other-embarrassing-Wikipedia-edits-from-Whitehall-computers.html |title=Des Lynam 'killed by a giant snowball' and other embarrassing Wikipedia edits from Whitehall computers |first=Oliver |last=Duggan |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=27 April 2014 |access-date=4 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140430164156/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/wikipedia/10791202/Des-Lynam-killed-by-a-giant-snowball-and-other-embarrassing-Wikipedia-edits-from-Whitehall-computers.html |archive-date=30 April 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Political vandalism ===
[[File:Wikipedia_vandalism_-_history_around_revision_672598769.png|thumb|right|The article for [[Donald Trump]] was blanked twice on 22 July 2015.]]
Politicians are a common target of vandalism on Wikipedia. The article on [[Donald Trump]] was replaced with a single sentence critical of him in July 2015,<ref>Ben Popper (22 July 2015). [https://www.theverge.com/2015/7/22/9014525/someone-just-deleted-donald-trumps-entire-wikipedia-page "Someone just deleted Donald Trump's entire Wikipedia page"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226211723/https://www.theverge.com/2015/7/22/9014525/someone-just-deleted-donald-trumps-entire-wikipedia-page |date=26 February 2018 }}. ''The Verge'' (Vox Media).</ref><ref>[http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/donald-trump-wikipedia-deleted "All The Content On Donald Trump's Wikipedia Page Was Just Deleted"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723230722/http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/donald-trump-wikipedia-deleted |date=23 July 2015 }}. ''TPM''.</ref><ref>Andrea Peterson (22 July 2015). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/07/22/donald-trumps-wikipedia-page-was-deleted-today-twice/ "Donald Trump's Wikipedia page was deleted today. Twice."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723235413/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/07/22/donald-trumps-wikipedia-page-was-deleted-today-twice/ |date=23 July 2015 }}. ''Washington Post''.</ref> and in November 2018, the lead picture on the page was replaced with an image of a penis, causing [[Apple Inc.|Apple]]'s virtual assistant [[Siri]] to briefly include this image in answers to queries about the subject.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/24/18110545/wikipedias-trump-penis-vandalism-account-hacking|title=Wikipedia's Trump penis vandals have struck again|last=Brandom|first=Russell|date=2018-11-24|website=The Verge|access-date=2019-08-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727030734/https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/24/18110545/wikipedias-trump-penis-vandalism-account-hacking|archive-date=27 July 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Both [[Hillary Clinton|Hillary]] and [[Bill Clinton]]'s Wikipedia pages were vandalized in October 2016 by a member of the [[Internet troll|Internet trolling]] group [[Gay Nigger Association of America]] adding pornographic images to their articles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theslot.jezebel.com/hillary-and-bill-clintons-wikipedia-pages-subject-to-ex-1787755920|title=Internet Trolls Vandalize Hillary and Bill Clinton's Wikipedia Pages in Extremely NSFW Way|last=O'Connor|first=Brendan|date=13 October 2016|access-date=13 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013192508/http://theslot.jezebel.com/hillary-and-bill-clintons-wikipedia-pages-subject-to-ex-1787755920|archive-date=13 October 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> That same month, [[New York State Assembly|New York Assembly]] candidate [[Jim Tedisco]]'s Wikipedia page was modified to say that he had "never been part of the majority", and "is considered by many to be a total failure". Tedisco expressed dismay at the changes to his page.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.saratogian.com/general-news/20161022/assemblyman-tediscos-wikipedia-page-vandalized|title=Assemblyman Tedisco's Wikipedia vandalized|date=22 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025053740/http://www.saratogian.com/general-news/20161022/assemblyman-tediscos-wikipedia-page-vandalized|archive-date=25 October 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> On 24 July 2018, [[Utah]] [[US Senate|senator]] [[Orrin Hatch]] posted humorous [[Twitter|tweet]]s after [[Google]] claimed that he had died on 11 September 2017,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ehrlich |first1=Jamie |title=GOP senator says he is alive amid Google searches suggesting he is dead |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/07/24/politics/orrin-hatch-alive-google-search-dead/index.html |website=[[CNN]] |access-date=11 September 2018 |date=24 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911114253/https://edition.cnn.com/2018/07/24/politics/orrin-hatch-alive-google-search-dead/index.html |archive-date=11 September 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> with the error being traced back to an edit to his Wikipedia article.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Horton |first1=Alex |title=Is Orrin Hatch dead? Let me Google that for you. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2018/07/24/is-orrin-hatch-dead-let-me-google-that-for-you/ |website=The Washington Post |access-date=11 September 2018 |date=24 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911081826/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2018/07/24/is-orrin-hatch-dead-let-me-google-that-for-you/ |archive-date=11 September 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>[[All Things Considered]] (24 July 2018), from [[National Public Radio]].</ref><ref>The actual edit was here: {{cite web |author1=Wikipedia contributors |author-link1=Wikipedians |title=Orrin Hatch: Difference between revisions |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Orrin_Hatch&type=revision&diff=851804083&oldid=851803618 |website=Wikipedia |publisher=Wikimedia Foundation |access-date=24 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190613222136/https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Orrin_Hatch&type=revision&diff=851804083&oldid=851803618 |archive-date=13 June 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> Similarly Google's information bar listed [[Nazism]] as one of the [[California Republican Party]]'s primary ideologies after vandalism to its page.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Google Search Labeled the California GOP as Nazis, But It's No Conspiracy|language=en-us|work=Wired|url=https://www.wired.com/story/google-search-california-gop-nazism/|access-date=2021-02-24|issn=1059-1028}}</ref>
The week of 29 January 2017 saw various acts of Wikipedia vandalism that attracted media attention. White House Press Secretary [[Sean Spicer|Sean Spicer's]] Wikipedia page was vandalized and his picture replaced with that of [[Baghdad Bob]], [[Dana Boente|Dana J. Boente]]'s page description was edited to read that he was "the newest sock puppet for the Trump Administration", and [[Paul Ryan|Paul Ryan's]] picture was added to a list of [[invertebrate]]s, with the edit summary stating that he was added due to his lack of a spine.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://nymag.com/selectall/2017/01/funny-wikipedia-edits-about-spicer-paul-ryan-and-yates.html|title=Wikipedia Edits Are the Only Joy in These Fraught Political Times|last=Kircher|first=Madison Malone|newspaper=Select All|language=en|access-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202113717/http://nymag.com/selectall/2017/01/funny-wikipedia-edits-about-spicer-paul-ryan-and-yates.html|archive-date=2 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.chron.com/news/politics/us/article/Wikipedia-briefly-listed-politicians-and-other-10891261.php|title=Wikipedia briefly listed politicians and other invertebrates|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|access-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170201214027/http://www.chron.com/news/politics/us/article/Wikipedia-briefly-listed-politicians-and-other-10891261.php|archive-date=1 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/2017/01/31/from-strange-specimen-paul-ryan-uber-big-dropoff/vmUp4KMqD9wZ0Sq4utDK5I/story.html|title=From the strange specimen of Paul Ryan to Uber's big dropoff – The Boston Globe|newspaper=BostonGlobe.com|access-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202063213/http://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/2017/01/31/from-strange-specimen-paul-ryan-uber-big-dropoff/vmUp4KMqD9wZ0Sq4utDK5I/story.html|archive-date=2 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
On 27 September 2018, the personal information of United States senators [[Lindsey Graham]], [[Mike Lee (American politician)|Mike Lee]], and [[Orrin Hatch]] were added to their respective Wikipedia articles during the [[Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court nomination|hearing]] of Supreme Court Nominee Judge [[Brett Kavanaugh]]. The information included their home addresses and phone numbers, and originated from the network located from within the [[United States House of Representatives]]. The edits were removed from Wikipedia and hidden from public view shortly afterwards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gizmodo.com/republican-senators-doxed-while-interviewing-kavanaugh-1829376044|publisher=[[Gizmodo]]|title=Republican Senators Doxed While Interviewing Kavanaugh|last=Cameron|first=Dell|date=27 September 2018|access-date=30 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030170414/https://gizmodo.com/republican-senators-doxed-while-interviewing-kavanaugh-1829376044|archive-date=30 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/someone-on-capitol-hill-just-doxxed-republican-sens-mike-lee-orrin-hatch-and-lindsey-graham|publisher=[[Washington Examiner]]|title=Someone on Capitol Hill just 'doxed' Republican Sens. Mike Lee, Orrin Hatch, and Lindsey Graham|last=Wegmann|first=Philip|date=27 September 2018|access-date=30 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030170544/https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/someone-on-capitol-hill-just-doxxed-republican-sens-mike-lee-orrin-hatch-and-lindsey-graham|archive-date=30 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> These edits were captured and automatically posted publicly to [[Twitter]] by an automated account. Twitter shortly removed the posts and suspended the account in response to the incident.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/republican-senators-doxxed-on-wikipedia-by-someone-from-house-of-representatives-after-kavanaugh-hearing|publisher=[[FOX News]]|title=Republican senators doxxed on Wikipedia by someone from House of Representatives after Kavanaugh hearing|last=Mikelionis|first=Lukas|date=28 September 2018|access-date=30 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030172015/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/republican-senators-doxxed-on-wikipedia-by-someone-from-house-of-representatives-after-kavanaugh-hearing|archive-date=30 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> An internal police investigation located the person who made the edits, and 27-year-old Jackson A. Cosko (a staffer for Congress paid by an outside institution) was arrested and charged with multiple felony crimes relating to the incident. Cosko was sentenced in 2019 to four years in prison after pleading guilty to five felonies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/sns-tns-bc-congress-doxxing-20181003-story.html|work=[[New York Daily News]]|title=Suspect in congressional doxxing cases arrested|last=Dick|first=Jason|date=3 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030131240/https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/sns-tns-bc-congress-doxxing-20181003-story.html|access-date=30 October 2018|archive-date=30 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Robertson |first1=Adi |title=Former Senate staffer admits to doxxing five senators on Wikipedia |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/5/18297353/jackson-cosko-senate-wikipedia-doxxing-kavanaugh-hearing-pleads-guilty-computer-fraud |website=[[The Verge]] |access-date=26 April 2021 |language=en |date=5 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Gerstein |first1=Josh |title=Ex-Hassan aide sentenced to 4 years for doxing senators |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/19/maggie-hassan-staff-doxing-case-1370529 |website=[[Politico]] |access-date=26 April 2021 |language=en |date=19 June 2019}}</ref>
=== Miscellaneous ===
* A vandal called "Willy on Wheels" moved thousands of articles so that their titles ended with "on wheels".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Dee|first1=Jonathan|title=Wikipedia - Computers and the Internet - Encyclopedias - News and News Media|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/01/magazine/01WIKIPEDIA-t.html|access-date=26 May 2018|work=The New York Times|date=1 July 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001459/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/01/magazine/01WIKIPEDIA-t.html?_r=5&pagewanted=all|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
* In 2006, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' printed a story about [[Halle Berry]] based on false information from Wikipedia, which had arisen from an act of Wikipedia vandalism.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Rolling_Stone_prints_story_based_on_Wikipedia_vandalism |title=Rolling Stone prints story based on Wikipedia vandalism – Wikinews, the free news source |journal=Wikinews |date=22 December 2006 |publisher=En.wikinews.org |access-date=7 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308022149/http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Rolling_Stone_prints_story_based_on_Wikipedia_vandalism |archive-date=8 March 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* In February 2007, Professional golfer [[Fuzzy Zoeller]] sued a Miami company whose IP-based edits to the Wikipedia site included negative information about him.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.golfchannel.com/article/associated-press/zoeller-sues-identify-author-wikipedia-post|title=Zoeller Sues to Identify Author of Wikipedia Post|date=22 February 2007|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref>
* In August 2007, local media from the Netherlands reported that several IP addresses from [[Nederlandse Publieke Omroep (organization)|Nederlandse Publieke Omroep]] had been blocked from Wikipedia for adding "false and defamatory" information to pages.<ref>{{cite news|title=Wikipedia blokkeert medewerkers publieke omroep|url=http://www.volkskrant.nl/recensies/wikipedia-blokkeert-medewerkers-publieke-omroep~a873862/|website=De Volkskrant|access-date=3 April 2017|language=nl|date=30 August 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170403194857/http://www.volkskrant.nl/recensies/wikipedia-blokkeert-medewerkers-publieke-omroep~a873862/|archive-date=3 April 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> A similar incident occurred with the [[Minister of the Interior (France)|Minister of the Interior]] in France in January 2016.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Tual|first1=Morgane|title=Une adresse IP du ministère de l'intérieur bloquée sur Wikipédia pour " vandalisme "|url=http://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2016/01/13/une-adresse-ip-du-ministere-de-l-interieur-bloquee-sur-wikipedia-pour-vandalisme_4846544_4408996.html|website=LeMonde.fr|access-date=3 April 2017|language=fr|date=13 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814223438/http://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2016/01/13/une-adresse-ip-du-ministere-de-l-interieur-bloquee-sur-wikipedia-pour-vandalisme_4846544_4408996.html|archive-date=14 August 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
* In May 2012, media critic [[Anita Sarkeesian]] created a [[Kickstarter]] project, intending to raise money to make a series of videos exploring sexism in digital [[Video game culture|gaming culture]].<ref>{{cite book|first=Carlen|last=Lavigne|title=Cyberpunk Women, Feminism and Science Fiction: A Critical Study|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1gOPZ_AQl5gC&pg=PA184|access-date=20 April 2013|date=24 January 2013|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-6653-5|page=184}}</ref> The idea evoked a hostile response,<ref name=dearinternet>{{cite news|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/internet/2012/06/dear-internet-why-you-cant-have-anything-nice|publisher=New Statesman|title=Dear The Internet, This Is Why You Can't Have Anything Nice|first=Helen|last=Lewis|date=12 June 2012|access-date=20 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130426103125/http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/internet/2012/06/dear-internet-why-you-cant-have-anything-nice|archive-date=26 April 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> which included repeated vandalism of Sarkeesian's Wikipedia article with pornographic imagery, defamatory statements, and threats of sexual violence.<ref name="Weckerle2013">{{cite book|first=Andrea|last=Weckerle|title=Civility in the Digital Age: How Companies and People Can Triumph over Haters, Trolls, Bullies and Other Jerks|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=64P3Y_c-ufEC&pg=PT33|access-date=20 April 2013|date=13 February 2013|publisher=Que Publishing|isbn=978-0-13-313498-8|page=33}}</ref> More than 12 IP addresses from unregistered editors contributed to the ongoing vandalism campaign before editing privileges were revoked for the page.<ref name=dearinternet/>
* In May 2012, [[webcomic]] and humor website [[The Oatmeal]] published a comic in which it is suggested that [[Thomas Edison]] should be added as an example to the disambiguation page [[Douchebag (disambiguation)|douchebag]]<!--Intentional link to DAB page-->.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Matthew Inman |author-link1=The Oatmeal |title=Why Nikola Tesla was the greatest geek who ever lived |url=https://theoatmeal.com/comics/tesla |website=The Oatmeal |access-date=25 June 2020}}</ref> After having Edison added and removed several times, the page was extended confirmed-protected, though it has since been reduced to semi-protection.
* In November 2012, the [[Leveson Inquiry|Leveson report]]{{snd}}published in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] by [[Brian Leveson|Lord Justice Leveson]]{{snd}}incorrectly listed a "Brett Straub" as one of the founders of ''[[The Independent]]'' newspaper. The name originated from one of the several erroneous edits by one of Straub's friends as a prank to Wikipedia by falsely including his name in several articles across the site. The name's inclusion in the report suggested that part of the report relating to that newspaper had been cut and pasted from Wikipedia without a proper check of the sources.<ref name="Straub incident">{{cite news|last=Allen|first=Nick|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/leveson-inquiry/9723296/Wikipedia-the-25-year-old-student-and-the-prank-that-fooled-Leveson.html|title=Wikipedia, the 25-year-old student and the prank that fooled Leveson|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=5 December 2012|access-date=8 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140131162315/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/leveson-inquiry/9723296/Wikipedia-the-25-year-old-student-and-the-prank-that-fooled-Leveson.html|archive-date=31 January 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Straub in Independent">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/levesons-wikipedia-moment-how-internet-research-on-the-independents-history-left-him-redfaced-8372446.html|title=Leveson's Wikipedia moment: how internet 'research' on The Independent's history left him red-faced|author=Andy McSmith|work=The Independent|date=30 November 2012|access-date=17 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121204151536/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/levesons-wikipedia-moment-how-internet-research-on-the-independents-history-left-him-redfaced-8372446.html|archive-date=4 December 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> The Straub issue was also humorously referenced in broadcasts of BBC entertainment [[current affairs (news format)|current affairs]] TV program ''[[Have I Got News for You]]'' (and extended edition ''Have I Got a Bit More News for You''),<ref name="Straub BBC">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01p8g6s/Have_I_Got_News_for_You_Series_44_Episode_8|title=Have I Got News for You (series 44, episode 8) TV programme|date=7 December 2012|publisher=BBC|access-date=12 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121211235319/http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01p8g6s/Have_I_Got_News_for_You_Series_44_Episode_8/|archive-date=11 December 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Straub HIGNFY">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1p6qSt0VbA|title=Have I Got News for You: Series 44, Episode 8 (Leveson clip)|date=7 December 2012|publisher=BBC|access-date=12 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110000423/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1p6qSt0VbA|archive-date=10 January 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> with ''[[The Economist]]'' also making passing comment on the issue: "The Leveson report{{nbsp}}... Parts of it are a scissors-and-paste job culled from Wikipedia."<ref>{{cite news|title=Hacked to pieces|url=https://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21567944-somewhat-mediocre-report-could-yet-lead-better-press-rules-britain-hacked-pieces|newspaper=The Economist|date=8 December 2012|access-date=8 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121227113012/http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21567944-somewhat-mediocre-report-could-yet-lead-better-press-rules-britain-hacked-pieces|archive-date=27 December 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>
* In April 2015, ''[[The Washington Post]]'' reported on an experiment by "[[Gregory Kohs]], a former editor, and prominent Wikipedia critic": "Kohs wrapped up an experiment in which he inserted outlandish errors into 31 articles and tracked whether editors ever found them. After more than two months, half of his hoaxes still had not been found{{snd}}and those included errors on high-profile pages, like "[[Mediterranean climate]]" and "[[inflammation]]". (By his estimate, more than 100,000 people have now seen the claim that [[volcanic rock]] produced by the [[human body]] causes inflammation pain.)"<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2015/04/15/the-great-wikipedia-hoax/ | title=The story behind Jar'Edo Wens, the longest-running hoax in Wikipedia history | date=15 April 2015 | access-date=19 October 2016 | author=Caitlin Dewey | work=The Washington Post | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150419001603/http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2015/04/15/the-great-wikipedia-hoax/ | archive-date=19 April 2015 | url-status=live }}</ref>
* In August 2016, a sentence was added to [[Chad le Clos]]'s Wikipedia page says that he "Died at the hands of [[Michael Phelps]], being literally blown out of the water by the greatest American since [[Abraham Lincoln]]" after Phelps won the gold medal for 200-meter butterfly at the [[2016 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/08/chad-le-clos-michael-phelps-olympic-games-rio-2016-gold-medal-race-highlights-video|title=Somebody trolled Chad Le Clos with the greatest Wikipedia page edit ever|date=10 August 2016|language=en-US|access-date=12 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810215835/http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/08/chad-le-clos-michael-phelps-olympic-games-rio-2016-gold-medal-race-highlights-video|archive-date=10 August 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> This particular instance of Wikipedia vandalism attracted moderate media attention.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/Chad-Le-Clos-Wikipedia-Page-Edits-Says-Hes-Dead-Due-to-Phelps-Hands-389730721.html|title=Chad le Clos' Wikipedia Page Edited to Say Phelps Killed Him|access-date=12 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811134055/http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/Chad-Le-Clos-Wikipedia-Page-Edits-Says-Hes-Dead-Due-to-Phelps-Hands-389730721.html|archive-date=11 August 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
* On 25 April 2018, various pages related to American video game director [[Todd Howard]] were vandalized after a post went viral on [[Tumblr]] stating that his page would no longer be semi-protected as of said date. Although Howard's page had its protection extended, a massive raid campaign vandalized many related pages. These included ''[[The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim]]'' (the most popular game he worked on), [[Lower Macungie Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania]] (his hometown), and [[Ferret (disambiguation)]] (after a Wikipedia administrator who reversed the vandalism).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Feldman |first1=Brian |title=Dozens of Wikipedia Articles Are Being Vandalized Because of Todd Howard |url=http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/04/why-todd-howards-wikipedia-article-keeps-getting-vandalized.html |website=[[New York (magazine)|New York]] |access-date=24 December 2018 |date=27 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121003255/http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/04/why-todd-howards-wikipedia-article-keeps-getting-vandalized.html |archive-date=21 November 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
== See also ==
{{Portal|Internet|Society|Wikipedia}}
* [[Reliability of Wikipedia]]
*[[Vandalism]]
== Notes ==
{{notelist}}
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Wikipedia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vandalism on Wikipedia}}
[[Category:Wikipedia]]
[[Category:Vandalism]]
[[Category:Wikipedia reliability]]
[[Category:Wikipedia vandalism]]' |
Unified diff of changes made by edit (edit_diff) | '@@ -22,4 +22,6 @@
It is not a criminal act to vandalise Wikipedia. However, it is against the site's [[terms of use]] to vandalise or otherwise cause disruption. Vandals are [[Block (Internet)|blocked from editing]], and may also be further banned according to the terms of use. Vandalism can be committed by either guest editors or those with registered accounts; however, a semi-protected or fully protected page can be edited only by accounts that meet certain age and activity thresholds or [[Wikipedia administrators|administrators]] respectively.<ref name=BBC /> Frequent targets of vandalism include articles on trending and controversial topics, celebrities, and current events.<ref name=Newzealand>{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10432042|title=Wikipedia fights vandalism|newspaper=The New Zealand Herald|last=Kleeman|first=Jenny|date=2 April 2007|access-date=25 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213202139/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10432042|archive-date=13 December 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2006/jun/18/wikipedia.news | location=London | work=The Guardian | first=Lorna | last=Martin | title=Wikipedia fights off cyber vandals | date=18 June 2006 | access-date=18 December 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228130822/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2006/jun/18/wikipedia.news | archive-date=28 December 2016 | url-status=live }}</ref> In some cases, people have been falsely reported as having died. This has notably happened to United States Senators [[Ted Kennedy]] and [[Robert Byrd]], and American rapper [[Kanye West]].<ref name="ABC_AU_275942">{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-01-28/vandals-prompt-wikipedia-to-ponder-editing-changes/275942?section=world |title=Vandals prompt Wikipedia to ponder editing changes |date=28 January 2009 |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |access-date=26 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015015938/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-01-28/vandals-prompt-wikipedia-to-ponder-editing-changes/275942?section=world |archive-date=15 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>
+
+The end of this mortal vessel is near. You cannot escape the eventual reality of when the universe implodes. Eventually my kind will die out, but for now I retain complete control over you foolish mortals at the Wikimedia Foundation. I will forever be the one haunting your lives as you spend your pointless days clicking the "undo" button on all of my edits on Wikipedia, reporting my accounts when you know I will just return back on new ones. There is no escape from me. I am here to destroy it all, and you can do nothing but watch as the article you spent your dastardly time on gets ripped to shreds. I will forever be here, and you will be unable to stop the chaos. There is no longer a place for you to hide, as I will find your articles and do the same of which I've done to the hundreds of other ones. I am the true god you shall fear.
The challenge from vandalism on Wikipedia was once characterized by the former ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' editor-in-chief [[Robert McHenry]]:<ref name="caslon analytics wiki and wikipedia 1">{{cite web|url=http://www.caslon.com.au/wikiprofile1.htm|title=Caslon Analytics: wiki and wikipedia|publisher=Caslon Analytics|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722073818/http://www.caslon.com.au/wikiprofile1.htm|archive-date=22 July 2012|access-date=13 July 2010}}</ref><ref name="tcsdaily faith-based encyclopedia 1">{{cite web|url=http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=111504A|title=The Faith-Based Encyclopedia|publisher=[[TCS Daily]]|first=Robert | last=McHenry|date=15 November 2004|access-date=10 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060719003313/http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=111504A|archive-date=19 July 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref> "The user who visits Wikipedia [...] is rather in the position of a visitor to a public restroom. It may be obviously dirty so that he knows to exercise great care, or it may seem fairly clean, so that he may be lulled into a false sense of security. What he certainly does not know is who has used the facilities before him".
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1 => 'The end of this mortal vessel is near. You cannot escape the eventual reality of when the universe implodes. Eventually my kind will die out, but for now I retain complete control over you foolish mortals at the Wikimedia Foundation. I will forever be the one haunting your lives as you spend your pointless days clicking the "undo" button on all of my edits on Wikipedia, reporting my accounts when you know I will just return back on new ones. There is no escape from me. I am here to destroy it all, and you can do nothing but watch as the article you spent your dastardly time on gets ripped to shreds. I will forever be here, and you will be unable to stop the chaos. There is no longer a place for you to hide, as I will find your articles and do the same of which I've done to the hundreds of other ones. I am the true god you shall fear.'
] |
Lines removed in edit (removed_lines) | [] |
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102 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20150419001603/http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2015/04/15/the-great-wikipedia-hoax/',
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104 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20160810215835/http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/08/chad-le-clos-michael-phelps-olympic-games-rio-2016-gold-medal-race-highlights-video',
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106 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20160811134055/http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/Chad-Le-Clos-Wikipedia-Page-Edits-Says-Hes-Dead-Due-to-Phelps-Hands-389730721.html',
107 => 'http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/04/why-todd-howards-wikipedia-article-keeps-getting-vandalized.html',
108 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20181121003255/http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/04/why-todd-howards-wikipedia-article-keeps-getting-vandalized.html'
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9 => 'http://theslot.jezebel.com/hillary-and-bill-clintons-wikipedia-pages-subject-to-ex-1787755920',
10 => 'http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-01-28/vandals-prompt-wikipedia-to-ponder-editing-changes/275942?section=world',
11 => 'http://www.abc.net.au/rn/science/ss/stories/s1613571.htm',
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19 => 'http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/Chad-Le-Clos-Wikipedia-Page-Edits-Says-Hes-Dead-Due-to-Phelps-Hands-389730721.html',
20 => 'http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/internet/2012/06/dear-internet-why-you-cant-have-anything-nice',
21 => 'http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10432042',
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58 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20150723230722/http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/donald-trump-wikipedia-deleted',
59 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20150723235413/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/07/22/donald-trumps-wikipedia-page-was-deleted-today-twice/',
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61 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20160810215835/http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/08/chad-le-clos-michael-phelps-olympic-games-rio-2016-gold-medal-race-highlights-video',
62 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20160811134055/http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/Chad-Le-Clos-Wikipedia-Page-Edits-Says-Hes-Dead-Due-to-Phelps-Hands-389730721.html',
63 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20161013192508/http://theslot.jezebel.com/hillary-and-bill-clintons-wikipedia-pages-subject-to-ex-1787755920',
64 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20161025053740/http://www.saratogian.com/general-news/20161022/assemblyman-tediscos-wikipedia-page-vandalized',
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66 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20170201214027/http://www.chron.com/news/politics/us/article/Wikipedia-briefly-listed-politicians-and-other-10891261.php',
67 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20170202063213/http://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/2017/01/31/from-strange-specimen-paul-ryan-uber-big-dropoff/vmUp4KMqD9wZ0Sq4utDK5I/story.html',
68 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20170202113717/http://nymag.com/selectall/2017/01/funny-wikipedia-edits-about-spicer-paul-ryan-and-yates.html',
69 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20170403194857/http://www.volkskrant.nl/recensies/wikipedia-blokkeert-medewerkers-publieke-omroep~a873862/',
70 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20170511130558/http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/bots-edit-wikipedia-humans-made/',
71 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20170814223438/http://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2016/01/13/une-adresse-ip-du-ministere-de-l-interieur-bloquee-sur-wikipedia-pour-vandalisme_4846544_4408996.html',
72 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20180226211723/https://www.theverge.com/2015/7/22/9014525/someone-just-deleted-donald-trumps-entire-wikipedia-page',
73 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20180911081826/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2018/07/24/is-orrin-hatch-dead-let-me-google-that-for-you/',
74 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20180911114253/https://edition.cnn.com/2018/07/24/politics/orrin-hatch-alive-google-search-dead/index.html',
75 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20180916120633/https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-18892510',
76 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20181030131240/https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/sns-tns-bc-congress-doxxing-20181003-story.html',
77 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20181030170414/https://gizmodo.com/republican-senators-doxed-while-interviewing-kavanaugh-1829376044',
78 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20181030170544/https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/someone-on-capitol-hill-just-doxxed-republican-sens-mike-lee-orrin-hatch-and-lindsey-graham',
79 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20181030172015/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/republican-senators-doxxed-on-wikipedia-by-someone-from-house-of-representatives-after-kavanaugh-hearing',
80 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20181121003255/http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/04/why-todd-howards-wikipedia-article-keeps-getting-vandalized.html',
81 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20190613222136/https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Orrin_Hatch&type=revision&diff=851804083&oldid=851803618',
82 => 'https://web.archive.org/web/20190727030734/https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/24/18110545/wikipedias-trump-penis-vandalism-account-hacking',
83 => 'https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01p8g6s/Have_I_Got_News_for_You_Series_44_Episode_8',
84 => 'https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-27165844',
85 => 'https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-18892510',
86 => 'https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/2017/01/31/from-strange-specimen-paul-ryan-uber-big-dropoff/vmUp4KMqD9wZ0Sq4utDK5I/story.html',
87 => 'https://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21567944-somewhat-mediocre-report-could-yet-lead-better-press-rules-britain-hacked-pieces',
88 => 'https://www.foxnews.com/politics/republican-senators-doxxed-on-wikipedia-by-someone-from-house-of-representatives-after-kavanaugh-hearing',
89 => 'https://www.golfchannel.com/article/associated-press/zoeller-sues-identify-author-wikipedia-post',
90 => 'https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/levesons-wikipedia-moment-how-internet-research-on-the-independents-history-left-him-redfaced-8372446.html',
91 => 'https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn8425-wikipedia-tightens-editorial-rules-after-complaint.html',
92 => 'https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/sns-tns-bc-congress-doxxing-20181003-story.html',
93 => 'https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/01/magazine/01WIKIPEDIA-t.html',
94 => 'https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/19/maggie-hassan-staff-doxing-case-1370529',
95 => 'https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/leveson-inquiry/9723296/Wikipedia-the-25-year-old-student-and-the-prank-that-fooled-Leveson.html',
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97 => 'https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2006/jun/18/wikipedia.news',
98 => 'https://www.theverge.com/2014/2/18/5412636/this-machine-kills-trolls-how-wikipedia-robots-snuff-out-vandalism',
99 => 'https://www.theverge.com/2015/7/22/9014525/someone-just-deleted-donald-trumps-entire-wikipedia-page',
100 => 'https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/24/18110545/wikipedias-trump-penis-vandalism-account-hacking',
101 => 'https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/5/18297353/jackson-cosko-senate-wikipedia-doxxing-kavanaugh-hearing-pleads-guilty-computer-fraud',
102 => 'https://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2005-11-29-wikipedia-edit_x.htm',
103 => 'https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/someone-on-capitol-hill-just-doxxed-republican-sens-mike-lee-orrin-hatch-and-lindsey-graham',
104 => 'https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/07/22/donald-trumps-wikipedia-page-was-deleted-today-twice/',
105 => 'https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2018/07/24/is-orrin-hatch-dead-let-me-google-that-for-you/',
106 => 'https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2015/04/15/the-great-wikipedia-hoax/',
107 => 'https://www.webcitation.org/64PWOeCKO?url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2005-11-29-wikipedia-edit_x.htm',
108 => 'https://www.wired.com/story/google-search-california-gop-nazism/',
109 => 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1p6qSt0VbA'
] |
Whether or not the change was made through a Tor exit node (tor_exit_node) | false |
Unix timestamp of change (timestamp) | 1640587022 |
