Education

Wikipedia Administrator Holding Confidential Data Access Privileges Confirms He Engaged in Paid Editing

An admin for the Serbian Wikipedia who holds “checkuser” privileges on that site, which grants him access to confidential user data, confirmed earlier this year that he has edited for pay, including on the English Wikipedia. Claiming he never misused his data access, the disclosure about his paid editing work has nonetheless sparked an ongoing discussion about the propriety of such users doing paid work on the site.

handing off money

DeSantis Renames $50K Florida Student Debate Prize After Charlie Kirk

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) announced that the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (FCDI) will rename its statewide championship scholarship the Charlie Kirk prize in honor of the late Turning Point USA founder’s “zealous advocacy for civic dialogue and freedom of speech,” with Florida recognized as “#1 for high school civics and debate.”

An attendee holds a poster of Charlie Kirk at a Turning Point USA rally at Utah State Univ

Wikipedia Foundation Board Member Suspends Activities Following Election Controversy, Conduct Complaint

Earlier this month, the Wikimedia Foundation that owns Wikipedia rejected candidates in community elections for its Board of Trustees, sparking a community revolt. One rejected candidate was Iraqi national Ravan Jaafar Al-Taie, who made numerous anti-Israeli posts. After community-elected board member Victoria Doronina publicly linked the posts to the rejection, Al-Taie filed a conduct complaint against Doronina, who later apologized and announced she was suspending most board activities until the end of the year.

Wikipedia logo on phone