Comments on: The Wikipedia Factor in U.S. Intelligence http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2007/03/the_wikipedia_factor_in_us_int.html Secrecy News from the FAS Project on Government Secrecy Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:11:08 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: fuser http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2007/03/the_wikipedia_factor_in_us_int.html/comment-page-1#comment-873 fuser Thu, 29 Nov 2007 22:34:14 +0000 http://fasweb.beacontec.com/blog/secrecy/2007/03/the_wikipedia_factor_in_us_intelligence.html#comment-873 Hi, great article, i have bookmarked it... it's funny (and maybe scary) that the US agencies use Wikipedia. Anyway, if you are a Wikipedia user, try Wikli... its the path to Wikipedia... Thanks, fuser Hi, great article, i have bookmarked it… it’s funny (and maybe scary) that the US agencies use Wikipedia. Anyway, if you are a Wikipedia user, try Wikli… its the path to Wikipedia…

Thanks, fuser

]]> By: ACarter http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2007/03/the_wikipedia_factor_in_us_int.html/comment-page-1#comment-730 ACarter Wed, 18 Apr 2007 17:57:48 +0000 http://fasweb.beacontec.com/blog/secrecy/2007/03/the_wikipedia_factor_in_us_intelligence.html#comment-730 As Fred Bauder's post implies, the biggest risk with Wikipedia is that credulous, uncritical, or irresponsible users will not take the time to verify sources thoroughly. The notion that "islamofascists" or anyone else can use Wikipedia to "recruit, convert (To what? Islam? Fascism?) and spread terrorism" itself smacks of a wish for authoritarian control over media that runs counter to everything we like to think we stand for. The apparent success of such efforts (on or off the Internet) is likely attributable to a sense of powerlessness and fear of loss of control that drives individuals toward authoritarian solutions to whatever ails their lives. To its credit, Wikipedia offers a wide open forum for anyone wishing to answer "their lies" (in 40 languages, including Arabic). As Fred Bauder’s post implies, the biggest risk with Wikipedia is that credulous, uncritical, or irresponsible users will not take the time to verify sources thoroughly. The notion that “islamofascists” or anyone else can use Wikipedia to “recruit, convert (To what? Islam? Fascism?) and spread terrorism” itself smacks of a wish for authoritarian control over media that runs counter to everything we like to think we stand for. The apparent success of such efforts (on or off the Internet) is likely attributable to a sense of powerlessness and fear of loss of control that drives individuals toward authoritarian solutions to whatever ails their lives. To its credit, Wikipedia offers a wide open forum for anyone wishing to answer “their lies” (in 40 languages, including Arabic).

]]> By: Gerald http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2007/03/the_wikipedia_factor_in_us_int.html/comment-page-1#comment-729 Gerald Fri, 23 Mar 2007 17:03:15 +0000 http://fasweb.beacontec.com/blog/secrecy/2007/03/the_wikipedia_factor_in_us_intelligence.html#comment-729 The risk with Wikipedia isn't intel leak or even collection, it is more a question of a possible propaganda platform. In this age of political correctness, there is a tendency to give the benefit of doubt where it shouldn't be granted. The islamofascist have a world wide propaganda program going on on the Internet. I don't fear anything they have to say but I fear not answering their lies. A LIE POSTED TO ENOUGH PLACES, ENOUGH TIMES, OVER A LONG ENOUGH PERIOD "BECOMES THE TRUTH". "I SAW IT ALL OVER THE INTERNET" This is how they recruit, convert and spread terrorism. Currently USA isn't doing much to counter these actions. Wikipedia would be an ideal platform for these terrorists purposes. The risk with Wikipedia isn’t intel leak or even collection, it is more a question of a possible propaganda platform. In this age of political correctness, there is a tendency to give the benefit of doubt where it shouldn’t be granted. The islamofascist have a world wide propaganda program going on on the Internet. I don’t fear anything they have to say but I fear not answering their lies. A LIE POSTED TO ENOUGH PLACES, ENOUGH TIMES, OVER A LONG ENOUGH PERIOD “BECOMES THE TRUTH”. “I SAW IT ALL OVER THE INTERNET” This is how they recruit, convert and spread terrorism. Currently USA isn’t doing much to counter these actions. Wikipedia would be an ideal platform for these terrorists purposes.

]]> By: Fred Bauder http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2007/03/the_wikipedia_factor_in_us_int.html/comment-page-1#comment-728 Fred Bauder Thu, 22 Mar 2007 17:07:22 +0000 http://fasweb.beacontec.com/blog/secrecy/2007/03/the_wikipedia_factor_in_us_intelligence.html#comment-728 Wikipedia is a compendium of published material. It is unlikely to contain material that has not been published somewhere, but might with its worldwide participation by multilingual users contain material that might go unnoticed or not be regularly consulted. If Wikipedia's rules on sourcing are followed, there should be a reference to the source for most information contained in an article, so it is usually easy to check the source and evaluate its reliability. Wikipedia is a compendium of published material. It is unlikely to contain material that has not been published somewhere, but might with its worldwide participation by multilingual users contain material that might go unnoticed or not be regularly consulted. If Wikipedia’s rules on sourcing are followed, there should be a reference to the source for most information contained in an article, so it is usually easy to check the source and evaluate its reliability.

]]> By: John Forbes http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2007/03/the_wikipedia_factor_in_us_int.html/comment-page-1#comment-727 John Forbes Thu, 22 Mar 2007 15:38:06 +0000 http://fasweb.beacontec.com/blog/secrecy/2007/03/the_wikipedia_factor_in_us_intelligence.html#comment-727 THE WIKIPEDIA FACTOR IN U.S. INTELLIGENCE = ZERO For several years one of my duties was to be a vault custodian in military intelligence. I worked with live intelligence data also. Sometimes the data comes from sources we would think is unclassified. WIKIPEDIA is not considered to be reliable by professional journalists, let alone some High School teachers. Do you want our sources for intelligence to be muddied by anyone who keys into the page? This is why Intelligence has compartmented rules and rules and laws on how it is collected and by who. It is to help insure its integrity and to protect the sources and ways we gather it... Lives are lost when sources are revealed. At the least the missions are ended and millions of dollars and human hours for the mission are wasted. If something is found useful in any media, it is best not to reveal the tool. It is a sad day for Intelligence gathering and says a lot about the politics of our young culture being allowed to make these decisions for our personal and national safety. THE WIKIPEDIA FACTOR IN U.S. INTELLIGENCE = ZERO

For several years one of my duties was to be a vault custodian in military intelligence. I worked with live intelligence data also. Sometimes the data comes from sources we would think is unclassified. WIKIPEDIA is not considered to be reliable by professional journalists, let alone some High School teachers. Do you want our sources for intelligence to be muddied by anyone who keys into the page? This is why Intelligence has compartmented rules and rules and laws on how it is collected and by who. It is to help insure its integrity and to protect the sources and ways we gather it… Lives are lost when sources are revealed. At the least the missions are ended and millions of dollars and human hours for the mission are wasted. If something is found useful in any media, it is best not to reveal the tool. It is a sad day for Intelligence gathering and says a lot about the politics of our young culture being allowed to make these decisions for our personal and national safety.

]]>