What Happens If You Mess Up Wikipedia?
Wikipedia can have severe repercussions if your actions go awry. As an accessible online encyclopedia, it serves to spread knowledge around the globe but it also poses risks that should not be underestimated.
Wikis are incredibly simple to create and edit, often even more user-friendly than HTML itself. Ward Cunningham first invented this text formatting system as a means of speeding up web page creation without the hassle of HTML tags. Wikis offer this convenience without the hassle of complex setup processes.
Wikis have the advantage of being easy to edit, but also allow people to write about anything – from politics to religion. While this can be a great resource for students and historians alike, it may also create serious problems.
First and foremost, wikis aren’t just for kids anymore. They play a significant role in many organizations’ communication and marketing strategies as well.
Many businesses and politicians have their own Wikipedia pages. These articles give their business or political affiliations a profile that people can use to get to know them better, make informed decisions, or even educate potential customers on a product or service they might be considering purchasing.
That is why it is essential for businesses and individuals to regularly update their wiki content. Doing so keeps the data accurate, helping them stay ahead of their competition.
One of the primary reasons companies and organizations fail to keep their wikis up to date is cost. Without sufficient funding, businesses risk losing valuable information about their products and services.
Companies should strive to avoid making errors with their wikis. Insufficient or inaccurate data can have serious repercussions for both their brand and reputation.
Fortunately, there are some simple measures you can take to guarantee your wiki remains accurate and up to date. These steps not only help avoid the common issues that plague wikis, but they’ll save your business money too!
1. Make sure to include all accurate information when creating your wiki page, regardless of what changes or additions are being made. This is the most efficient way to guarantee that you have all necessary details when editing a page.
2. Avoid including any material not appropriate for the article, such as links to outside sources or other articles. Doing so could be seen as vandalism and will likely be quickly rectified.
3. Avoid adding unnecessary text or images, particularly graphic descriptions of sexual acts. Doing so can pose a serious problem and will be removed.
4. Do not use a username or email address that is already in use on another site, in spam emails, or with sexist or offensive language. Doing so constitutes an offense against Wikipedia community guidelines and will lead to your account being banned.
