Wikipedia is implementing a new set of rules to combat toxic behavior, which has been shown by multiple volunteers. Wikipedia is a website that is run by volunteers across the world, sending their information regarding a certain topic to help others across the globe. Wikipedia implements new rules which have been finalized by the end of this year.
Reason behind changing rules
A new set of rules has been put under consideration after multiple complaints from men and women, particularly from the LGBTQ community. Complaints have been regarding harassment and abuse from fellow editors working on the website. To counter this toxic behavior of some people, Wikipedia implements new rules.
Wikimedia’s foundation is the organization which is behind Wikipedia, gave a statement saying that Wikipedia’s core value is maintaining being civil with each other. All the volunteer workers should work with each other to create an environment that would be safe, exclusive of the caste, race, and creed of the individual, a place where their contribution has value and their perspective matters to others.
The main goal of Wikipedia is to provide information to all individuals across the globe without differentiating people and to eliminate toxic behavior for which Wikipedia implements new rules.
New set of rules by Wikipedia
The first and foremost rule by Wikipedia includes banning of members who violate the websites’ code of conduct. The editor will be put into the review if another volunteer feels that more contexts are needed in the case.
Wikipedia implements new rules regarding the toxic behavior of volunteer workers, as the website has become the top trusted source of information. The issues regarding gender discrimination and other harassments have been an issue for the website for the past decade.
According to a study done on the editors of Wikipedia by the University of Washington, the results concluded that many LGBTQ and female editors on the site fear for their safety while working at the organization. Multiple female editors have told the researchers that their content is scrutinized by male workers, and they receive much negative and harsh feedback due to it.
Death threats have been received by many of the LGBTQ individuals working at the Wikimedia organization as volunteer editors for Wikipedia. After multiple complaints, the issue was highlighted last year by a New York Times article, after which Wikipedia implements new rules.
Harassment complaints
Wikipedia is not a social networking website like Twitter or Facebook, but the volunteer editors working on the website are able to interact with each other and are able to make changes to an already written content if the written work has any mistakes.
Due to this feature, the issue has become a form of harassment; when one volunteer adds their contents on the page, another editor is able to change the content entirely shortly after it was posted. It forces the first editor to completely redo their work as it might mislead other people, thus leading towards continuous editing battles.
As Wikipedia implements new rules, the complete implementation of this new code of conduct will occur in two phases by the end of this year. The first phase includes setting multiple policies for virtual events as well as technical spaces. Chat rooms are also under development to provide communication between editors. The first phase is expected to be completed by August 30.
The second phase includes enforcement of their new code of conduct when the said rules are broken, which will be approved and completed by the end of 2020, according to the board’s itinerary.
As Wikipedia implements new rules for the volunteer workers of the website, this might help provide a safe environment for all workers regardless of their gender.
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