Wikipedia To Test Editing Restrictions

Some people love Wikipedia, some people hate it, and pretty much everybody knows better than to cite it as a source.  A new editing system aims to make the online encyclopedia a bit more reliable, however.

The arrangement will allow only “trusted” users to make instant edits to articles; edits made by other users will need to be reviewed by those trusted individuals.  New Scientist Tech reports, “To earn this trusted status, users will have to show some commitment to Wikipedia, by making 30 edits in 30 days, say.”

These restrictions will not have an immediate effect on Wikipedia.org – the system is only going to be tested, and it’s only going to be tested in Germany.  A successful run could lead to implementation in the States and elsewhere, though.

As for the odds of its success . . .  The system is likely to cut down on the appearance of vulgarities and outright misinformation.  But there’s the whole balance-of-power-and-bias issue to consider, and limiting edits could slow Wikipedia down (no more instant updates on current events) and discourage participation.

Making Wikipedia more reliable would be a good thing.  The site’s leaders will just have to be very careful about how they accomplish this goal.