Stephen Colbert Wikipedia Prank Backfires 701
Vicissidude writes "The champion of 'truthiness' couldn't resist making fun of a website where facts, it seems, are endlessly malleable. But after making fun of Wikipedia on Monday night's "Colbert Report," Colbert learned some hard truths about Wikipedia's strength in resisting vandalism. Here's how the segment started: 'Colbert logs on to the Wikipedia article about his show to find out whether he usually refers to Oregon as "California's Canada or Washington's Mexico." Upon learning that he has referred to Oregon as both, he demonstrates how easy it is to disregard both references and put in a completely new one (Oregon is Idaho's Portugal), declaring it "the opinion I've always held, you can look it up."' Colbert then called on users to go to the site and falsify the entry on elephants. But Wikipedia's volunteer administrators were among those watching Colbert, and they responded swiftly to correct the entry, block further mischievous editing, and ban user StephenColbert from the website."
XFD. (Score:2, Funny)
I for one (Score:5, Funny)
Not exactly... (Score:5, Funny)
Please... (Score:5, Funny)
As an Oregonian (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Wiki works, but it shouldn't be the only 'Sourc (Score:5, Funny)
Considering how many whales I've seen on that little beach across from the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago I can see why.
Re:Please... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I for one (Score:1, Funny)
Swi
That was my WIFE, you inconsiderate jerk! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Backfired? (Score:3, Funny)
Let's check wikipedia and see if it's true.
(It isn't)
Re:This is why... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Is this on the level? (Score:2, Funny)
To all potential vandals... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I for one (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Backfired? (Score:5, Funny)
All vandals who go onto national TV and announce their intent beforehand will be stopped!
Oh be quiet... (Score:5, Funny)
Banned Account (Score:2, Funny)
other interesting elephant facts (Score:5, Funny)
I believe I read that same article. I learned that unique among mammals. elephants' legs are actually hollow, affording the opportunity for small creatures, such as mice, to hide inside without detection.
With Bush and Gore absent, I'll second that (Score:3, Funny)
The special bonus would be the most hilarious Vice-Presidential debate ever.
Slashmeme error alert! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Wiki works, but it shouldn't be the only 'Sourc (Score:4, Funny)
Backfired? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Whales (Score:5, Funny)
Re:other interesting elephant facts (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Backfired? (Score:3, Funny)
Dear GOD IN HEAVEN there was a brief period of time when a page claimed there were TOO MANY ELEPHANTS in the world!
KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!
i've made 174 vandalisms to wikipedia (Score:2, Funny)
First, check for and avoid the regularly-updated-and-reverted articles - there are enough OCD types already fighting for who can most aggressively adjust the content to their worldview, making them pretty crap anyway (unless they've been locked down, in which case other biases come in..). Hell, the script even collects data on who reverts the articles I've adjusted, so I can build up a list of wikipaedophiles whose pet articles (identified by recent edits) can be left alone.
For the articles where "no-one really cares", we operate most effectively. At its most basic, we can automagically change a number here and there, remove or reorder events by simple substitution of prepositions (s/before/after/ is surprisingly effective!), etc. God knows it's only a metter of time before I try applying some of the analysis tools I used when fumbling about with interlingua (RIP) a few years ago.
Much better to spin some inventive prose, then add a non-existent reference to an old tome that likely no-one has read. Build up a stub. Wiki loves to quote figures such as "number of articles" (quantity over quality, yay!), promoting the best as if they in any way represented the state of the rest, so I'm doing my little bit.
Incidentally, I wonder if similar practices occur in the field of Open Source contributions? In that case, it couldn't be a matter of contributing simple code that *doesn't work*, but volunteering sufficiently complex and functional enhancements that nevertheless include some subtle vulnerability, which following contribution and deployment provides the cracker with a waiting herd of machines to compromise.
Re:Not exactly... (Score:4, Funny)
Weissengruber, G. E, F. Fuss K, G. Egger, G. Stanek, K. Hittmair M, and G. Forstenpointner (2006). The elephant knee joint: morphological and biomechanical considerations. Journal of Anatomy 208(1): 59-72.
Barry
Re:Wiki works, but it shouldn't be the only 'Sourc (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Whales (Score:5, Funny)
I disagree. Lake Erie is the only one of the great lakes to be combustible.
Re:The Six Sins of the Wikipedia (Score:4, Funny)
I wonder how much money Britannica paid him to say that.
Re:Is this on the level? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:How to fight vandalism (Score:3, Funny)
Re:The Six Sins of the Wikipedia (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Well, if we're doing SlashMemes... (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Always Hilarious (Score:5, Funny)
Re:One Trick pony (Score:3, Funny)
I do know both of my senators though (Coryn and Hutchison).
Re:Dennis Miller is a coward (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Wiki works, but it shouldn't be the only 'Sourc (Score:2, Funny)
Wrong! The point of the story was to reveal how the Democratic Party is hiding the truth about the resurgence of the elephant population. They will do anything to suppress the true popularity, and therefore population, of anything related to elephants, the proud image and icon of the Republican Party.
Another leftist conspiracy exposed for all the world to see. (Abe) For shame (/Abe).
Re:Today on Jerry Springer.. (Score:3, Funny)
fataugie: *throws chair*
Ooooh, I know how this one finishes:
fataugie: Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers! etc...
Re:Backfired? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Always Hilarious (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Dennis Miller is a coward (Score:5, Funny)
leftist field who hasn't been mugged. Amercan liberals are not liberals at all.
For the record: While technically written in English, the above made no sense whatsoever. I suggest that the author get a good night's sleep, and abstain from listening to talk radio for at least a week.
you, sir, do a piss-poor job of insulting the man (Score:5, Funny)
Dennis Miller has finally taken his seat at the Algonquin Round Table, only unfortunately for humanity, it was moved to the Star Chamber adjacent to Richard Perle's rumpus room. Even now he's smirking his way through The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, secreted away at his Vegas lair amid stacks of John Birch Society literature, states-rights pamphlets, and sticky Jack Chick tracts. Yes, it's a dark day when the witty ally themselves with the witless, but having the spinal column of that guy who managed to be the last guy to wiggle himself into the packed phone booth, setting the world's record, does play a role here. I don't want to go off on a rant here, but Dennis Miller has as much credibility as Edward Kennedy at a water-safety course. His head is so far up Newt Gingrich's ass that he can smell the chemotherapy drugs Newt's bedridden wife was on when he filed for divorce. It wouldn't surprize me at this point if Dennis Miller was discovered entertaining Mel Gibson with "how many Jews will fit in a volkswagen" jokes as they drunkenly swerve their circuitous way to Rush Limbaugh's house to lift up his stomach so Ann Coulter can "polish the little ditto." But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.
Thank you.