Russia Plans Own Version of Wikipedia to Provide More 'Reliable' Information
Source: Moscow Times
Russia plans to create its own "Wikipedia" to ensure its citizens have access to more "detailed and reliable" information about their country, the presidential library has said.
Citing Western threats, the Kremlin has asserted more control over the Internet this year, in what critics call moves to censor the web, and has introduced more pro-Kremlin content similar to closely controlled state media such as television. Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia assembled and written by Internet users around the world, has pages dedicated to nearly every region or major city within Russia's 11 time zones, but the Kremlin library said this was not good enough.
"Analysis of this resource showed that it is not capable of providing information about the region and life of the country in a detailed or sufficient way," the state news agency RIA Novosti quoted a statement from the presidential library as saying on Friday. "The creation of an alternative Wikipedia has begun." It was not known whether the project might affect Russians' access to the existing Wikipedia in any way.
President Vladimir Putin has branded the Internet a "CIA special project," and the Kremlin has said it must protect its online realm from threats from the West, as ties between the Cold War-era foes have hit a new bottom over the Ukraine crisis.
Read more: http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/russia-plans-alternative-version-of-wikipedia/511215.html
Think Conservapedia is Orwellian? Wait til you see Putinpedia
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Cooley Hurd
(26,877 posts)
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)"to ensure its citizens have access to more "detailed and reliable" information"
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(108,010 posts)
freshwest
(53,661 posts)Quite a production there...
branford
(4,462 posts)semanticwikiian
(69 posts)Disagree with the drama that this is an Orwellian stroke of the brush by Putin.
Wikipedia has highly technical folks around the world, the Russian contingent being among the most capable. The alarmist idea that this means another avenue of censorship for an autocratic govt to exploit could have some merit, if only it had some evidence. Anyway those same technologists would not stand for being cordoned off as the author suggests, so it won't happen.
No surprise that there's the desire by a wikipedia community to have its branded content, displayed differently, different underlying software, and so on. So applaud this, because it represents the further deepening of content -- available to everyone on the planet -- stored in "wikis". Remember of course that so-called semantic web comprises alot of wikis, hundreds of thousands of wikis.
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)And never spread propaganda, yep it will be as true as they allow.
AtheistCrusader
(33,982 posts)"Reality has a liberal bias, so we'll make a new one"
Jim Lane
(11,175 posts)For example, if you go to Conservapedia and enter "LGBT" you get redirected to the article on "Homosexual rights advocacy", where you can read such gems as:
Conservapedia licenses use of its content, so Putin's government can add this "information" to its new wiki without having to re-invent the authoritarian wheel.
AtheistCrusader
(33,982 posts)I'm genuinely confused why they hate Russia/Putin* so much.
Maybe they don't like looking in a mirror.
*this is not a general indictment of the Russian People, of whom I know several, and they are 'along for the ride' much like we were when the supreme court decided the 2000 election.
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)Wikipedia has editors from all over the world and while it isn't perfect, people do try to make sure spurious information doesn't get into articles. I used to edit on Wikipedia, but quit a few years ago.
KinMd
(966 posts)
Cha
(297,275 posts)freshwest
(53,661 posts)That's for those who like rap or blowing things up. There are some made to appeal to women:
There may some hope for his female admirers:
Vladimir Putin's Divorce: The Russian President Is Officially A Single Man
By Nick Robins-Early - 04/03/2014
Almost a year after announcing their split in a stilted scene at the Grand Kremlin Palace, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his wife Lyudmila have finalized their divorce. The duo were married for 30 years and have two children together, though Putin's official biography on the presidential website no longer makes any mention of Lyudmila.
The news marks perhaps the final chapter in the hushed but turbulent drama of Putin's personal life. Rumors long circulated of a rift between the Russian strongman and his seldom-seen wife. The Kremlin regularly issued denials of such gossip, and Putin himself denied marital troubles, telling Italian reporters there was "not a single word of truth" in the speculation and that he had contempt for those whose "erotic fantasies prowl into others' lives..."
The latest development points to the newly single President Putin now being the world's most powerful bachelor, a title that jells with the virile outdoorsman persona he has publicly cultivated for years. Evenso, a few hurdles to dating the World's Most Powerful Person may stand in the way for potential matches, starting with his much-rumored surreptitious liaisons with a former Olympic gymnast.
Of course, Putin rarely allows much interfere with getting what he wants. Just ask Ukraine.*
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/02/putin-divorce-final_n_5077092.html
*In his defense, he likely thinks he's doing a great thing for his country...
Codeine
(25,586 posts)young man?
uhnope
(6,419 posts)
daleo
(21,317 posts)As others have pointed out, this is another Conservapedia. Russians are savvy enough to recognize state-sponsored propaganda.
Adrahil
(13,340 posts)... they seem to lap up the official Kremlin position on pretty much everything. And I wouldn't put it past ole Pootie to block Wikipedia.
daleo
(21,317 posts)In Russia and in the rest of the world, including North America.
Adrahil
(13,340 posts)... but in Russia there is a concerted effort to limit the voices of those that disagree with the Kremlin. Why do you think that is?
msanthrope
(37,549 posts)
Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)ERROR: no page was found for "Russian invasion of Ukraine".
Did you mean "Russian intervention to defend Ukraine against evil Western imperialists?"
And by the way your IP address has been logged....
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)LOL...Of course not! But I'm legally required to ask that question every time Russia is in the news...
pampango
(24,692 posts)The Chinese government’s increasing efforts to influence global cyberspace rules is a further sign that internet freedom is under a sustained attack, said Amnesty International, ahead of China’s first World Internet Conference.
The event, which takes place in the eastern Zhejiang province, between 19 -21 November, brings together senior Chinese officials and global web leaders to discuss the future of the internet. It is seen by many internet experts as part of China’s attempt to have a greater say in the rules that govern the web.
“Internet freedom is under attack by governments across the world. Now China appears eager to promote its own domestic internet rules as a model for global regulation. This should send a chill down the spine of anyone that values online freedom,” said William Nee, China researcher at Amnesty International.
“China’s internet model is one of extreme control and suppression. The authorities use an army of censors to target individuals and imprison many activists solely for exercising their right to free expression online.”
http://www.amnesty.org./en/news/internet-freedom-faces-new-attack-china-seeks-shape-global-web-rules-2014-11-18
