Published in News

Wikipedia faces problems with UK regulators

by on18 January 2023


Asks the British to allow its moderators god-like powers

Wikipedia is headed for a face off with the UK government over whether its rag-tag bunch of fake penis experts and holders of bogus degrees should be allowed god-like powers unavailable to other social media.

For those who came in late, the UK is bringing in an Online Safety Bill which will require websites to monitor content or face jail terms.

This stands in the way of Wackypedia’s business model which basically allows misfits to censor anyone they don’t like and make people or organisations disappear –such as Mike Magee, the Everywhere Girl and Fudzilla. The Wackypedia Foundation has bypassed taking any responsibility for its editors’ antics unless they start doing things that are obviously illegal, such as running a blackmailing racket 

Rebecca MacKinnon, a leading member of the Wikimedia Foundation, which runs Wikipedia, has called for an exception for the online encyclopedia in the UK’s Online Safety Bill. She has called on legislators to ensure that the bill differentiates between centralized content moderation on platforms like Facebook, and community volunteer moderation that’s found on places like Wikipedia.

The government said that the bill has been designed to find a balance between tackling online harm without adding unnecessary burdens on low-risk tech firms. It said that Ofcom will be proportionate when enforcing the rules and will focus its efforts where the risk of harm is highest.

 

Last modified on 18 January 2023
Rate this item
(4 votes)

Read more about: