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In the media

Rand Paul plagiarizes Wikipedia?

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By Go Phightins!

Rand Paul uses Wikipedia for eugenics speech

During a speech on behalf of a gubernatorial candidate, Rand Paul advocated his pro-life position, comparing unrestricted abortions to the film Gattaca. He went on to use language and phraseology that were strikingly similar to the content of the Wikipedia page. Rachel Maddow on her namesake show was the first to report it; numerous media outlets quickly picked it up, including the Washington Post. The Post's article conceded that Wikipedia is a widely used source for trivial information, but mocked the fact that a politician would view it as a reliable source: "But who hasn't inadvertently hijacked a phrase or two from Wikipedia? Unpresidential, schmunpresidential. Wikipedia is reliable, according to a piece I hastily wrote using information I found on Wikipedia that was then cited as evidence for the same piece." The incident received other significant media coverage, with some going so far as to specifically and unequivocally state Paul or someone on his staff committed plagiarism.

The article Gattaca was initially created in 2002 by The Anome. Before the allegations surfaced, the article received anywhere from 1100 to 1500 views per day, but on 29 October, the day the allegations were initially aired, the page received 10,693 views. The Signpost reached out to Paul's office for comment, but did not receive a reply. Paul did, however, flatly deny the allegations in a statement, saying that Maddow had been spreading hate about him for the past three years.

In brief

  • St. Louis Cardinals page vandalized: For a short while, according to an article from the Riverfront Times, anyone who googled St. Louis Cardinals saw a revision to the article that said, “The St. Louis Cardinals, a gay butt sex team based in ...” Though quickly reverted, the vandalism was still likely seen by thousands, as Google has integrated Wikipedia entries into its search results.
  • Wikipedia Zero pilot commences: As part of the Wikipedia Zero initiative, the BBC reported that, simply by texting *515#, individuals in lesser-developed countries, particularly in some African countries, will have access to Wikipedia articles for the first time. In the media previously covered Wikipedia Zero extensively in June 2013.
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  • Is there are reason you didn't include the NPR interview with Sue Gardner last Sunday on sock puppets? It was posted on one of your Talk Pages last weekend along with a direct link to the interview. Liz Read! Talk! 20:59, 2 November 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  • Liz – that was an oversight on my part, and purely my fault. I saw that when I read last week's edition (to which I did not contribute much and thus not read very carefully), and when I went to write this week's it completely slipped my mind. I apologize. Go Phightins! 02:19, 3 November 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  • Okay, thanks for the explanation, Go Phightins!. I just wanted to know for future sharing of news, whether or not to post it to the Signpost talk pages. Liz Read! Talk! 12:12, 3 November 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  • Sue Gardner explains sockpuppets In a brief interview with NPRs Rachel Martin, Gardner explained what sockpuppets and why they are "part of the bargain" of producing a good quality crowd sourced encyclopedia. NE Ent 10:40, 3 November 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  • If anyone at The Signpost is interested, I can walk over to Paul's Senate office Monday (since I assume it's closed tomorrow), and see if they're more likely to give a statement in person. — PinkAmpers&(Je vous invite à me parler) 01:56, 3 November 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  • I'm interested, and I am hereby appointing you - you work for the Signpost. --Demiurge1000 (talk) 02:01, 3 November 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  • Um... "in lesser-developed countries, namely Africa, ..." Seriously? Africa is not a country. – Quadell (talk) 14:07, 3 November 2013 (UTC)[reply]


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