Amid embarrassment over an academic fraud, Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales has announced that anyone claiming professional expertise in a subject would be required to provide proof of those credentials.
Recently, a Associated Press interview, Wales reiterated his "anti-credentialist" stance and his belief in anonymity. However, in light of recent events giving weight to a tabled two-year-old suggestion, Wales said anyone claiming specific expertise in a subject would have to back it up. Otherwise, they could remain anonymous and contribute to Wikipedia.
"It's always inappropriate to try to win an argument by flashing your credentials," Wales told the AP, "and even more so if those credentials are inaccurate."
Pressure to reform some of the rules at Wikipedia also comes from the other co-founder of Wikipedia, Larry Sanger, who left the online encyclopedia to create his own, more credentialed version, a project he calls "Citizendum."
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If Sanger is able to recreate Wikipedia with Citizendum, the days of entry vandalism and, perhaps, college professors not accepting a publicly edited encyclopedia as a source, may be numbered.
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