Changes

==Flip-flopping on paid editing of Wikipedia==

==Flip-flopping on paid editing of Wikipedia==

[[Image:Jimmy Wales shilling wristwatches.jpg|left|thumb|170px|Want to buy a watch?]]In August 2006, Wales [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2006-August/051897.html crafted a compromise] with a paid-editing firm to create and serve GFDL content on their own website about paying entities not currently featured in Wikipedia.  Other unpaid, independent editors could determine whether the material was worth scraping into Wikipedia.  

In August 2006, Wales [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2006-August/051897.html crafted a compromise] with a paid-editing firm to create and serve GFDL content on their own website about paying entities not currently featured in Wikipedia.  Other unpaid, independent editors could determine whether the material was worth scraping into Wikipedia.  

However, just a couple of months later in October 2006, Wales would renege on this agreement and, in fact, chastised anyone in the public relations industry as "[http://blog.bitepr.com/2006/08/jimmy_wales_on_.html deeply unethical]" if they attempt to create or influence GFDL content of an encyclopedic nature.  Of course, the GFDL specifically bars licensees from restricting content to either commercial or non-commercial parties, so Wales really had no clue here.

However, just a couple of months later in October 2006, Wales would renege on this agreement and, in fact, chastised anyone in the public relations industry as "[http://blog.bitepr.com/2006/08/jimmy_wales_on_.html deeply unethical]" if they attempt to create or influence GFDL content of an encyclopedic nature.  Of course, the GFDL specifically bars licensees from restricting content to either commercial or non-commercial parties, so Wales really had no clue here.

==Essjay scandal==

==Essjay scandal==

In January 2007, Wales hired Ryan Jordan (pseudonymously known as "Essjay" on Wikipedia) to work at Wikia, Inc.  At that time, it is [http://blog.citizendium.org/2007/03/05/one-last-brief-comment-on-the-essjay-scandal/ known that Wikia's co-founders knew] that Jordan was not academically credentialed as a Theology professor holding a PhD, as described on his Wikipedia user page.  In fact, he was a 24-year-old college dropout.  Regardless of this fraud, later in February, Wales appointed Essjay to Wikipedia's Arbitration Committee, the highest authority on Wikipedia short of the Wikimedia Foundation's own board of directors and staff.  When the ''[http://www.WikipediaReview.com Wikipedia Review]'' engaged the ''New Yorker'' magazine to expose Essjay's fraud, Wales' first reaction [http://news.google.com/archivesearch?q=%22I+don%27t+really+have+a+problem+with+it%22+Essjay&btnG=Search&hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8 was to say] he "didn't really have a problem with it".

[[Image:Jimmy Wales shilling wristwatches.jpg|left|thumb|170px|Want to buy a watch?]]In January 2007, Wales hired Ryan Jordan (pseudonymously known as "Essjay" on Wikipedia) to work at Wikia, Inc.  At that time, it is [http://blog.citizendium.org/2007/03/05/one-last-brief-comment-on-the-essjay-scandal/ known that Wikia's co-founders knew] that Jordan was not academically credentialed as a Theology professor holding a PhD, as described on his Wikipedia user page.  In fact, he was a 24-year-old college dropout.  Regardless of this fraud, later in February, Wales appointed Essjay to Wikipedia's Arbitration Committee, the highest authority on Wikipedia short of the Wikimedia Foundation's own board of directors and staff.  When the ''[http://www.WikipediaReview.com Wikipedia Review]'' engaged the ''New Yorker'' magazine to expose Essjay's fraud, Wales' first reaction [http://news.google.com/archivesearch?q=%22I+don%27t+really+have+a+problem+with+it%22+Essjay&btnG=Search&hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8 was to say] he "didn't really have a problem with it".

<br>

<br>

==Jeffrey Merkey favors-for-payment allegations==

==Jeffrey Merkey favors-for-payment allegations==

[[Image:Jimmy Wales on Washington Post interview.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Napping on the job.]]

[[Image:Jimmy Wales on Washington Post interview.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Napping on the job.]]Later in March 2008, it was alleged by [[Jeff V. Merkey|Jeffrey Vernon Merkey]] that Wales had edited Merkey's entry in Wikipedia to make it more "favourable" in return for donations to the Wikimedia Foundation. In May 2006 Wales had erased Merkey's article "because of the unpleasantness of it" and stated "we are nearing a resolution of this longstanding conflict," referring to a dispute between the Wikipedia community and Merkey over the content of the biography. Wales called the allegation that the Wikimedia Foundation had received donations in exchange for this "nonsense."<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/cashforkindness-scandal-rattles-wikipedia/2008/03/11/1205125911471.html Cash for kindness]</ref> <ref name="bbcpaidediting">{{citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7291382.stm|title=Wiki boss 'edited for donation'|accessdate=2008-03-12}}</ref> Nonetheless, Merkey made a very clear and very deliberate statement to the Associated Press that attested: <blockquote>''Wales agreed that in exchange for a substantial donation and other financial support of the Wikimedia Foundation projects, Wales would use his influence to make Merkey's article adhere to Wikipedia's stated policies with regard to internet libel "as a courtesty" and place Merkey under his "special protection" as an editor.''<ref>[http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2008-March/039545.html [Foundation-l] Statement to the Associated Press], Jeffrey Merkey, March 9, 2008.</ref></blockquote>

Later in March 2008, it was alleged by [[Jeff V. Merkey|Jeffrey Vernon Merkey]] that Wales had edited Merkey's entry in Wikipedia to make it more "favourable" in return for donations to the Wikimedia Foundation. In May 2006 Wales had erased Merkey's article "because of the unpleasantness of it" and stated "we are nearing a resolution of this longstanding conflict," referring to a dispute between the Wikipedia community and Merkey over the content of the biography. Wales called the allegation that the Wikimedia Foundation had received donations in exchange for this "nonsense."<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/cashforkindness-scandal-rattles-wikipedia/2008/03/11/1205125911471.html Cash for kindness]</ref> <ref name="bbcpaidediting">{{citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7291382.stm|title=Wiki boss 'edited for donation'|accessdate=2008-03-12}}</ref> Nonetheless, Merkey made a very clear and very deliberate statement to the Associated Press that attested: <blockquote>''Wales agreed that in exchange for a substantial donation and other financial support of the Wikimedia Foundation projects, Wales would use his influence to make Merkey's article adhere to Wikipedia's stated policies with regard to internet libel "as a courtesty" and place Merkey under his "special protection" as an editor.''<ref>[http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2008-March/039545.html [Foundation-l] Statement to the Associated Press], Jeffrey Merkey, March 9, 2008.</ref></blockquote>

==Tolerance of plagiarism==

==Tolerance of plagiarism==