[WikiEN-l] Controversial articles (was Writing about sexual topics responsibly is not censorship)

Tue Feb 15 19:31:21 UTC 2005

Zoney wrote:

> I wouldn't like to see some Wikipedians give up on imposing some sort
> of respectability though. It'd be nice to have some sort of standards.
> I don't care whether people choose to call that censorship or not. OK
> many Wikipedians perhaps believe in complete unrestricted freedom in
> what gets put on Wikipedia (although I think most have specific topics
> they have "views" on), but we can't ignore that Wikipedia should cater
> to at least a reasonable section of the "mainstream". I think people
> will realise that there are articles on Wikipedia at the moment that
> don't remotely live up to a standard acceptable to an appreciable
> "mainstream" segment.
> 
> If people continue to insist on no "good taste" standards, people will
> stop visiting Wikipedia, and it will just become a world-wide
> distributed hobby.
> 
> As it is, image vandalism (yes that is not our doing, but it's damn
> near an unacceptable problem with some of the stuff that's been put
> up) and content issues would make me think twice about recommending
> friends or family to visit Wikipedia (particularly those who aren't my
> peers/contemporaries).

I've marked several messages in this thread for reply, but really Zoney 
here and John Lee have said it all much better than I could.  I 
completely agree with their points.

I desperately want Wikipedia to be a project with a reputation for good 
content - if it becomes effectively a shock site it won't be that any 
more.  I would say a vast majority of readers* would not expect to see 
the most explicit of images - even on articles dealing with the subject 
(goatse on [[goatse]] being the much used example).  What this is about 
for me is expectation - how can someone know to turn off images if they 
are not expecting this apparently reputable encyclopaedia to show such 
images?  And why should anyone need to turn off images to use an 
encyclopaedia?

There is a level at which I see the points some are making here, and 
some with views different from mine who's opinions I respect - and I 
have moved my own boundaries in response to that.  But there is also a 
level at which I can't, and extreme views that I have no understanding 
or respect for.  I truly hope that these views won't carry the day.

I've written more than I intended - I think this thread has mostly 
deteriorated beyond usefulness and all I really intended to say was the 
first paragraph here.  Frankly I would love to wash my hands of the 
whole subject and go back to updating the Grammy Awards - but I care too 
much about this project to not state my views on this very important 
subject.

--sannse

*74% of statistics are made up on the spot

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