User:DGG/talks/Washington 2015

Decreasing Promotionalism to Save the Encyclopedia

Why is this a problem:

Perception by most businessmen and professionals that a WP page is an essential part of their PR:

1. Exposure given in Google
2. general perception that WP is important.

Result: an industry of bad paid editing,

1. usually undeclared,
2. most of it is so bad that it would be rejected if properly disclosed).

The traditional justifications for a notability standard have been that it's necessary to

1. look like a convention encyclopedia to show we're serious
2. avoid becoming a mere directory.
3. Now there's another reason more important than either: c) to avoid Promotionalism.

The inverse relationship between notability and Promotionalism:

The more notable, the less need for Promotionalism -- The less notable, the greater need for Promotionalism

The purpose of WP

1. providing verifiable NPOV information for the readers.
2. Definition:   Promotional editing--telling the reader what the subject wants them to know.
   

                                  Encyclopedic editing--telling the reader what they might want to know from an encyclopedia.

Prevention

Technical

1. increased autoconfirmed level --- not 4/10, but 30 days 100 edits? (TOR is 90 d/100)
2. require all new eds to go thru AfC "new" < 30/400
3. unification of NPP and AfC
4. edit filters for key behavior

Administrative

1. increase Checkuser scope: time , reasons
2. establish undeclared paid editing as reason for banning
3. retrospectively delete articles by banned paid editors
4. require identification (??)

Policy /practice

1. increase notability requirements for susceptible areas (e.g. organizations),
2. interpret notability requirements more strictly in AfD.
3. adjust definition of Reliable sources for notability:
   1. stop accepting bizjournals
   2. stop accepting sources talking only about motivation for founding
   3. stop accepting sources talking about only initial funding
4. adjust content requirements
   1. limit officers listed, limit branches listed
   2. limit duplication : company vs ceo

Community

1. Train editors screening in the area
2. Guide editors writing in thearea
3. Recruit interested editors