Can Anyone Easily Destroy Wikipedia Articles?

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

Wikipedia employs a version control system that allows any user to revert articles to previous versions, effectively preventing the destruction of content. This system ensures that all changes are logged, enabling administrators and users to restore articles if vandalism occurs. The community's active involvement is crucial, as the majority of users who care about content quality can quickly revert any damaging edits. This collaborative approach significantly mitigates the risk of widespread article destruction.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of version control systems, specifically how they function in collaborative environments.
  • Familiarity with Wikipedia's editing policies and user roles.
  • Knowledge of basic wiki functionality, including page history and reversion processes.
  • Awareness of community-driven content management and its implications for information accuracy.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research Wikipedia's editing guidelines and policies for contributors.
  • Explore the technical aspects of version control systems like Git and their application in collaborative platforms.
  • Learn about community moderation techniques in online platforms to enhance content reliability.
  • Investigate the impact of user engagement on content quality in wikis and similar collaborative environments.
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for content moderators, wiki contributors, educators, and anyone interested in understanding the mechanisms that protect collaborative online content from vandalism.

aychamo
Messages
375
Reaction score
0
Hey guys

I just discovered (lol) Wikipedia the other day.. What stops anyone from going in and just destroying all the articles?
 
Computer science news on Phys.org
They probable have a CVS type system implemented. That means that all changes are noted and the admins can roll back to good version if things go bad.
 
dduardo said: They probable have a CVS type system implemented. That means that all changes are noted and the admins can roll back to good version if things go bad.
That's exactly right.

aychamo, you should look at the latest issue of Pop. Science. It has an article: What is a wiki? It explains your question.

Paden Roder
 
http://hprog.org is also a pretty good wiki. It was actually the first wiki I ever used and one of the first I've ever encountered.

They simply have a button that reverts the page to it's old version if someone has vandalized the page.

From what I've read, most administrators believe that the larger number of users that care will revert the page back if it is ever vandalized. Since the amount of users that care will outweigh the ones there to cause trouble.

That means that all changes are noted and the admins can roll back to good version if things go bad.

Can't anyone roll back to the good version @ wikipedia? Or is that an admin-only feature?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Anyone can roll back a page to a previous version on wikipedia. You're not actually deleting anything, however -- you're just creating a new version whose text is the same as some previous version.

- Warren
 

Similar threads

Who knows if Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome is real or not?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
1K
Which is which among Cyclone, Hurricane, and Typhoon?
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
896
Undergrad Graph of wikipedia articles about physics
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
Do we live in a simulation, Scientific American article posted today
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
2K
Need a picture - Colossal Cave Adventure on the terminal
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
2K
Undergrad Is Gravity a Force or Curvature?
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
5K
Undergrad This Wikipedia article about Scholz's Star doesn't make sense
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
Wikipedia phenomenon: converging topics to philosophy
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
3K
Insights Why ChatGPT AI Is Not Reliable
  • · Replies 212 ·
8
Replies
212
Views
15K
On what does gravity assist depend? (possibly with sources)
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
838