View source for GSoW - Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia


'''Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia''' is not a funny fake organisation for comedy purposes but a serious organisation of so-called [[Skeptical_movement|"skeptics]]" to influence and manipulate [[Wikipedia|Wikipedia]] articles in a systematic way. The group was founded by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Gerbic Susan Gerbic], an American [[Skeptical_movement|pseudo skeptical]] activist.

As the name indicates, '''GSoW''' is part of an international network of materialistic fanatics who - after their own understanding - try to edit and re-write articles in Wikipedia to ensure that Wikipedia is reflecting their personal world-view and ideology. This group is strongly connected to the German group of pseudo-skeptics [http://de.pluspedia.org/wiki/Gesellschaft_zur_wissenschaftlichen_Untersuchung_von_Parawissenschaften_(GWUP) GWUP], which also invites pharma lobbyists to advertise for Monsanto as the propagate on their own website.<ref name="TAM9" /> The idea for organized effort came from Tim Farley after Gerbic's attempts to use typical WikiProjects and found them dormant and not user-friendly for new editors. She then started communicating and training others on Facebook and by email.<ref name="prism">http://www.prismpodcast.com/the-prism-podcast-episode-11 ; Episode 11; Luchtefeld, Jason, Ritchey, Grant: The Prism Podcast; The Prism, December 15, 2013 ; https://web.archive.org/web/20150903024652/http://www.prismpodcast.com/the-prism-podcast-episode-11 ; Archivedate: September 3, 2015; Accessdate August 29, 2015</ref>

Her efforts to influence Wikipedia grew after presentations at SkeptiCalcon and a Sunday paper presentation at The Amaz!ng Meeting<ref name="TAM9" /> and she created a blog on the subject. She stated that the formal beginning of GSoW is May 2010.<ref name="Wikapediatrican CSICOP">Gerbic, Susan: Wikapediatrician Susan Gerbic discusses her Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia project; http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/wikapediatrician_susan_gerbic_discusses_her_guerrilla_skepticism_on_wikiped ; Skeptical Inquirer by Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, March 8, 2015; https://web.archive.org/web/20150830023844/http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/wikapediatrician_susan_gerbic_discusses_her_guerrilla_skepticism_on_wikiped ; Archivedate August 30, 2015 Accessdate January 13, 2015</ref> Gerbic is often asked about her Wikipedia contributions and edits: "I discovered that there are people in our community that have been looking for a way to become more involved but need more structure, support, and training."<ref name="Wikapediatrican CSICOP" /> When people ask how they can help the skeptical movement, Gerbic is quick to suggest that they, too, learn to edit Wikipedia: "We rewrite Wikipedia, and proof the pages, we remove citations that are not noteworthy, we add citations, we do just about everything in Wikipedia to improve content."<ref name="tamers">AV media: Guttormson, Joel: Meet the Amazing TAMers: Susan Gerbic; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdV2WD2P3dE ; Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science; November 5, 2013; Access date: August 29, 2015; Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20160307082521/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdV2WD2P3dE ; Archive date: March 7, 2016</ref>

Gerbic promotes the approach of identifying skepticism-related articles that are in need of improvement. Articles are improved by the addition of references from popular writing, podcast, and other citations: "It's just lots and lots of research. Because we are a team of friends we can share resources and work reviews. It is often necessary to interview notable persons to improve the citations and resources."<ref name="skeptchal">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUCwKG1n9zc ; Skeptically Challenged 2014/06/19; Balch, Ross: Skeptically Challenged, June 19, 2014, Access date: August 29, 2015; Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20160309230832/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUCwKG1n9zc ; Archive date: March 9, 2016</ref> She used the example of psychic Sylvia Browne's Wikipedia page during the Amaz!ng Meeting lecture, suggesting that people looking for information might prefer Wikipedia as a neutral, virus free, user friendly site. She calls this the Goldilocks effect.<ref name="TAM9" />

Gerbic spends much of her Wikipedia-related time helping new editors learn to perform basic tasks in Wikipedia.<ref name="prism" /> New editors to the GSoW users group are encouraged to identify notable references and add them to various related pages. Gerbic calls such edits "backwards editing", which is the reverse of the more typical process where one subject is enhanced from multiple references.

Gerbic states that the "We Got your Wiki Back Project!" is a popular GSoW sub-project. She relates that the project's goal is to improve the Wikipedia pages for all skeptical spokespeople: "When they are in the media's eye, we know that their Wikipedia page views are going to spike."<ref name="Wikapediatrican CSICOP" /> "When people are looking for information, we want to make sure they are getting great information," says Gerbic on the Data Skeptic podcast.<ref name="Data Skeptic">Polich, Kyle: Guerilla Skepticism on Wikipedia with Susan Gerbic; http://dataskeptic.com/epnotes/ep012.php ; Data Skeptic, Access date: August 29, 2015; Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20151023233738/http://dataskeptic.com/epnotes/ep012.php ; Archive date: October 23, 2015</ref>

In order to promote Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia, in late 2017 Gerbic toured Europe with the "About Time Tour" and spoke at many skeptical activist gatherings.<ref>Vídeo </ref><ref>Episode #92  http://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/episode_92.html ; Website: theesp.eu; Publisher: The European Skeptics Podcast; Accessdate: 6 October 2017; Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20171006175842/http://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/episode_92.html ; Archive date: 6 October 2017</ref>

In July 2018, magazine Wired reported, "the Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia project has more than 120 volunteer editors from around the world, each of whom Gerbic has recruited and trained herself. They're collectively responsible for some of the site's most heavily trafficked articles on topics like scientology, UFOs, and vaccines."<ref>https://www.wired.com/story/guerrilla-wikipedia-editors-who-combat-conspiracy-theories/ ; The 'Guerrilla' Wikipedia Editors Who Combat Conspiracy Theories; Matsakis, Louise; July 25, 2018; Website: wired.com; Publisher: Wired magazine; Access-date: July 25, 2018</ref>

As of 8/2018, the Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia project had written or fully rewritten over 600 Wikipedia pages, which had collectively received over 30 million views.<ref>Hale, Mike: The enthusiastic life of a happy skeptic  https://voicesofmontereybay.org/2018/08/23/the-enthusiastic-life-of-a-happy-skeptic/ ; Website: Voices of Monterey Bay, Accessdate: 29 August 2018 ; Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20180829023341/https://voicesofmontereybay.org/2018/08/23/the-enthusiastic-life-of-a-happy-skeptic/ ; Archive date: 29 August 2018</ref>

== Website ==

*[http://guerrillaskepticismonwikipedia.blogspot.com/ Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia blog] 

== References ==

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