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MintPress blacklisted on Wikipedia
Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2019 4:11 pm
by Poetlister
In early June, a small number of partisan Wikipedia editors privately voted to blacklist MintPress News from use as a source on the online encyclopedia website at the behest of a Wikipedia editor who took issue with MintPress’ coverage of current events in Venezuela and Syria. At no point was MintPress ever asked to comment or allowed to respond to any of the allegations made and MintPress is unable to appeal the decision.
mintpressnews.com
Wikipedia:Reliable_sources/Noticeboard/Archive_268#RfC:_MintPress_News (T-H-L)
Re: MintPress blacklisted on Wikipedia
Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2019 5:10 pm
by DanMurphy
Fairly explicit propaganda outfit with some creepy ties to the Assad government in Syria (and this has been public knowledge since at least 2013). So on the one hand, good call.
But on the other, pathetic that it was being used on their website to back up statements of fact for so long.
Re: MintPress blacklisted on Wikipedia
Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2019 5:43 pm
by Katie
DanMurphy wrote:Fairly explicit propaganda outfit with some creepy ties to the Assad government in Syria (and this has been public knowledge since at least 2013). So on the one hand, good call.
But on the other, pathetic that it was being used on their website to back up statements of fact for so long.
Speaking of propaganda websites with ties to governments, iuvmpress.com is used on Wikipedia as a source in the
Human rights in Saudi Arabia (T-H-L) article - while I despise the regime, perhaps a website very likely tied to the Iranian government shouldn't be used as a source there? Here's a story linking iuvmpress to the Iranian government:
linkhttps://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa- ... SKCN1LD2R9[/link].
Re: MintPress blacklisted on Wikipedia
Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2019 8:22 pm
by Poetlister
It takes far too long for someone to notice and care strongly enough to do something about it. Yet another example of the lack of editorial control.
Re: MintPress blacklisted on Wikipedia
Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2019 9:40 pm
by Bezdomni
Looks like it was also covered without naming names a few days earlier in the NYT, so I deleted/replaced the 3 refs I found on en.wp. There's only one on fr.wp.
Re: MintPress blacklisted on Wikipedia
Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2019 10:53 pm
by Katie
Bezdomni wrote:
Looks like it was also covered without naming names a few days earlier in the NYT, so I deleted/replaced the 3 refs I found on en.wp. There's only one on fr.wp.
Thank you very much! I suspect it was added by the
Ane wiki (T-C-L) paid editor sock ring. They're very likely continuing to edit using accounts like
RobZes (T-C-L),
Betje57 (T-C-L) and
BJohn1087 (T-C-L).
Re: MintPress blacklisted on Wikipedia
Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2019 4:46 am
by Earthy Astringent
DanMurphy wrote:Fairly explicit propaganda outfit with some creepy ties to the Assad government in Syria (and this has been public knowledge since at least 2013). So on the one hand, good call.
But on the other, pathetic that it was being used on their website to back up statements of fact for so long.
Still, having such a small subset of people making such a decision that effects everyone is not ideal. Then when people challenge a decision the peepul scream “but consensus!!!!”
A consensus from a small sample is not a consensus at all.
Re: MintPress blacklisted on Wikipedia
Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2019 5:41 am
by DanMurphy
Earthy Astringent wrote:DanMurphy wrote:Fairly explicit propaganda outfit with some creepy ties to the Assad government in Syria (and this has been public knowledge since at least 2013). So on the one hand, good call.
But on the other, pathetic that it was being used on their website to back up statements of fact for so long.
Still, having such a small subset of people making such a decision that effects everyone is not ideal. Then when people challenge a decision the peepul scream “but consensus!!!!”
A consensus from a small sample is not a consensus at all.
Shit. In professional organizations with much higher accountability stakes, these kinds of decisions are often made by a committee of one. And it works much better.
Re: MintPress blacklisted on Wikipedia
Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2019 10:26 am
by Poetlister
DanMurphy wrote:Earthy Astringent wrote:A consensus from a small sample is not a consensus at all.
Shit. In professional organizations with much higher accountability stakes, these kinds of decisions are often made by a committee of one. And it works much better.
Yes, but the one person is rather more likely to be someone who is well-informed and competent. If there's an obscure discussion with most of the participants being people canvassed by the person who started the discussion, the result will be pretty biased.
Re: MintPress blacklisted on Wikipedia
Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 9:53 pm
by Bezdomni
MintPress responds,
naming names and reminding people of a little wiki-history.
Re: MintPress blacklisted on Wikipedia
Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 9:58 pm
by mendaliv
Bezdomni wrote:MintPress responds,
naming names and reminding people of a little wiki-history.
Of the Wikipedia editors who voted to discredit MintPress, several were self-listed as experts in video games, computer science and anime, not geopolitical events
That is a SICK burn.
Re: MintPress blacklisted on Wikipedia
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 1:21 am
by Zoloft
I feel a bit dirty reading that. MintPress has a loose grip on the facts.
Re: MintPress blacklisted on Wikipedia
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 12:18 pm
by Poetlister
Bezdomni wrote:MintPress responds,
naming names and reminding people of a little wiki-history.
I think I'd already linked that in my opening post.
Re: MintPress blacklisted on Wikipedia
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 12:19 pm
by Poetlister
Zoloft wrote:MintPress has a loose grip on the facts.
Yes, that's precisely why it can't be recognised as a reliable source!