German Wikipedia Has Problems With Paid Editing -- And Threats Of Violence

metasonix writes: As German journalist Marvin Oppong learned recently, there are a number of people who work to make articles about certain corporations and trade groups on German Wikipedia "look better". And when Oppong published his discoveries, one reaction was an openly violent threat, aimed at him, posted on de-WP's "Kurier" noticeboard. Just as with English Wikipedia, it is apparently a "terrible crime" to criticize German Wikipedia, even when Jimbo Wales's "bright line" rule on paid editing is being violated. Unlike English WP, the Germans will threaten to "curbstone" people for saying it.

Silent when caught

[thekohser]

"Raschka, the Wikimedia Foundation, and FKuR were unwilling to comment on the allegations." Why does this not surprise me one bit? Any time the Wikimedia Foundation is caught doing the very thing they profess to oppose, they go into quiet mode. They'll only speak up, with fake wringing of hands, if the story gets picked up by the mainstream media. I don't understand how people donate money to such an insidious organization.

Re:

[lilburne]

Well Wikimania 2015 is apparently going to be in either: Bali, Indonesia; Esino Lario, Lake Como region, Italy; Cape Town, South Africa; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Monastir, Tunisia; Mexico City, Mexico. As neither Italy nor Tunisia has naturally occurring crocodiles from which the WMF can replenish their supply of tears we can rule those place out.