Connolley may be out at Wikipedia

For those who don’t know, William Connolley, a Real Climate founding contributor, has been the most prolific climate information gatekeeper at Wikipedia, and was the subject of this Lawrence Solomon article:

Wikibullies at work. The National Post exposes broad trust issues over Wikipedia climate information

Given the volume of his volunteer Wiki output, one wonders how he supports himself with regular work.

Bishop hill reports today:

A correspondent writes to tell me that Wikipedia’s Arbitration Committee are currently examining the conduct of people involved in the ongoing saga of edit wars over climate change articles. 

The allegations and counter-allegations over who did what and when can be seen here.

There has now been a draft decision issued and it looks as though, hot on the heels of losing his SysOp privileges, Dr Connolley may be up for a ban. He will be accompanied by at least one sceptic.

(As always with Wiki, please don’t get involved if you are not already)

A look at the list of grievances  is interesting, note that Lawrence Solomon’s page is in an edit war.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Case/Climate_change/Proposed_decision

Edit warring on Climate Change related articles

6) During the course of this arbitration case, the following articles required full page protection due to edit warring. [3]

Four of the six articles involved in the eight edit wars are biographies of living people. Almost 30 editors were involved in the eight edit wars that resulted in these page protections; two of these editors, William M. Connolley and Marknutley, were involved in seven of eight edit wars.

Support:
Oppose:
Abstain:

William M. Connolley previously sanctioned and desysopped

7) In the Abd-William M. Connolley arbitration case (July-September 2009), William M. Connolley was found to have misused his admin tools while involved. As a result, he lost administrator permissions, and was admonished and prohibited from interacting with User:Abd. Prior to that, he was sanctioned in Requests for arbitration/Climate change dispute (2005, revert parole) and Wikipedia:Requests for arbitration/Geogre-William M. Connolley (2008, restricted from administrative actions relating to Giano II). He was also the subject of RFC’s regarding his conduct: RfC 1 (2005) and RfC 2 (2008).

Support:
Oppose:
Abstain:

William M. Connolley has been uncivil and antagonistic

8) William M. Connolley has been uncivil and antagonistic to editors within the topic area, and toward administrators enforcing the community probation. (Selection of representative examples: [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17])

This uncivil and antagonistic behaviour has included refactoring of talk page comments by other users,(examples: [18],[[19]]) to the point that he was formally prohibited from doing so. In the notice advising him that a consensus of 7 administrators had prohibited his refactoring of talk page posts, he inserted commentary within the post of the administrator leaving the notice on his talk page. [20]] For this action, he was blocked for 48 hours; had the block extended to 4 days with talk page editing disabled due to continuing insertions into the posts of other users on his talk page; had his block reset to the original conditions; then was blocked indefinitely with talk page editing disabled when he again inserted comments into the posts of others on his talk page.[21] After extensive discussion at Administrator noticeboard/Incidents, the interpretation of consensus was that the Climate Change general sanctions did not extend to the actions of editors on their own talk pages, and the block was lifted.

Support:
Oppose:
Abstain:

William M. Connolley has shown Ownership

9) William M. Connolley is acknowledged to have expertise on the topic of climate change significantly beyond that of most Wikipedians; however, this also holds true for several other editors who regularly edit in this topic area. In this setting, User:William M. Connolley has shown an unreasonable degree of Ownership over climate-related articles and unwillingness to work in a consensus environment. (Selection of representative examples: [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31])

Support:
Oppose:
Abstain:

William M. Connolley BLP violations

10) William M. Connolley has repeatedly violated the biography of living persons policy. Violations have included inserting personal information irrelevant to the subject’s notability, use of blogs as sources, inserting original research and opinion into articles, and removing reliably sourced positive comments about subjects. He has edited biographical articles of persons with whom he has off-wiki professional or personal disagreements. (Selection of representative examples: [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [40])

Support:
Oppose:
Abstain:

================================================================

The list of solutions that Wiki members can vote on don’t bode well for Mr. Connolley

William M. Connolley banned

3.1) User:William M. Connolley is banned from the English Wikipedia for six months for long-term violations of WP:OWN, WP:CIVIL, and WP:BLP.

Support:
Oppose:
Abstain:
Comment:
(Please note that some of the remedy proposals here are alternatives.) Newyorkbrad (talk) 05:57, 23 August 2010 (UTC)

William M. Connolley topic-banned (Climate Change)

3.2) User:William M. Connolley is banned from all Climate Change articles, broadly construed, for one year. He may edit their talk pages. This editing restriction specifically includes modification of talk page edits made by any other user, on any talk page; in the case of posts to William M. Connolley’s user talk page, he is free to remove posts without response.

Support:
Oppose:
Abstain:

William M. Connolley topic-banned (BLP)

4) User:William M. Connolley is banned from editing any article that is substantially the biography of a living person, where the person’s notability or the subject of the edit relates to the topic area of global warming or climate change.

Support:
Oppose:
Abstain:

William M. Connolley restricted

5) User:William M. Connolley is subject to an editing restriction for one year. Should he make any edits which are judged by an uninvolved administrator to be uncivil remarks, personal attacks, assumptions of bad faith, or violations of WP:BLP, he may be briefly blocked, up to a week in the event of repeated violations. After 3 blocks, the maximum block shall increase to one month. This editing restriction specifically includes modification of talk page edits made by any other user, on any talk page; in the case of posts to William M. Connolley’s user talk page, he is free to remove posts without response.

Support:
Oppose:
Abstain:

h/t to WUWT reader Stephan

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CRS, Dr.P.H.
August 24, 2010 1:55 pm

Hmmm….I just mined the hell out of Wikipedia and couldn’t find a single mention of McShane & Wyner’s article! No bios on the authors, no references cited etc.
In contrast, a simple Google search of “McShane & Wyner” generated about 82,000 hits.
Wikipedia, ugh! I hardly go there anymore.

August 24, 2010 1:58 pm

I recommend the “No Wikipedia” logo be placed in the sidebars of webpages and blogs. Check at the bottom of this post for several jpegs of different sizes with the Wikipedia logo surrounded by a red circle and with a red slash.
Wikipedia may be useful, but should never be trusted. Always check the sources. The “No Wikipedia” logo is intended to indicate that Wikipedia is not cited on that page.
I think it is better to give up the convenience of citing Wikipedia than to give up integrity.
Best regards,
Tom

Robinson
August 24, 2010 1:58 pm

Haha brilliant! I was shocked to discover what happened with the WUWT and CA wiki-pages (the latter being deleted/redirected to McIntyre’s personal bio page). This has restored some of my faith in Wikipedia.

feta cheese
August 24, 2010 1:58 pm

Rumour has it [snip – and lets just leave it at that ~mod]

John McManus
August 24, 2010 2:03 pm

I look at his blog every day and am dissapointed if there is no new post. He is a bit “lukewarm” for my taste, but is a good source.

Editor
August 24, 2010 2:14 pm

I’ve had so many of my edits reverted by Connolly that I’ve lost count. This guy is a bad faith player all around. I hope the wikipedia community rides him out of town on a rail. He is the number one reason I have zero faith in wikipedia for anything but noncontroversial mundane topics (and even there I go to the cited sources to check things).

August 24, 2010 2:14 pm

paulw,
What’s ‘going on’ is this:
The Open Secrets blog is trying to compare apples and oranges. In their heavily biased report, the industries that the NGO’s whine about never have their interests disclosed; they are simply assumed to be lobbying for ‘anti-environment causes. What kind of shoddy reporting is that? Like most folks, I prefer to make up my mind based on accurate information, not vague assumptions.
Also, the federal government’s giveaway of $2 billion a year for “climate studies” to its favored recipients is avoided. As we know, the feds are the most lavish mis-spenders of our tax money.

papertiger
August 24, 2010 2:26 pm

Alexander Feht says:
August 24, 2010 at 1:34 pm
I even programmed my Web search features to omit any Wikipedia-mirroring addresses.

Now that is a useful ap. Please tell me how I can do this, Alexander.

Enneagram
August 24, 2010 2:34 pm

MattN says:
August 24, 2010 at 12:11 pm
It’s about time. Good riddence to bad rubbish…

Perhaps it is the contrary: He was too “light” in opposing hateful non-believers. We’ll have to wait.. 🙂

Gnomish
August 24, 2010 2:38 pm

That’s 1 for the skeptics! This is first coup!
Wiki’s peer review seems much better than the british government or penn state, doesn’t it?
Everybody else was allowed to or helped to escape all consequences. Connolley is the first head on a pike!
Brandish it, flaunt it, rub some noses in it and bash more heads with it- it’s great for a warmist’s morale.
Let’s get someone to court now, with a perjury consequence for lying out loud.

Jeremy
August 24, 2010 2:42 pm

Wikipedia would work much better if they removed all anonymity from politically sensitive pages. If you want to argue over that crap, fine, but we’ll all know exactly who you are.
It might not move the bias needle much, but it would at least be more openness.

pyromancer76
August 24, 2010 2:49 pm

Every faculty member at my institution of higher education banned Wikipedia “research” for any papers or take-home exams, no matter the topic. Go to the sources was our cry (along with no plagiarism). Given Connolley’s lengthy and aggressive career at making a laughing stock out of climate science (is there really such a field?) on Wikipedia, the reputation of the site and of all science subjects is in shreds. Can Wikipedia be redeemed? The arbitration committee better do more than slap his hands and give him a time out.

pat
August 24, 2010 3:06 pm

He is a lunatic. They put up with his BS for far too long. He is one reason the Wiki has lost credibility.

Kitefreak
August 24, 2010 3:08 pm

This is the front line of the information war.
It’s happening in the ‘climate change’ arena.
It’s happening in the ‘war on terror’ arena.
The opinions of the public are being manipulated. This is not happening by chance.
Ye champions of climate and scientific valour should know that your greatest enemy is indeed the dark blanket of disinformation (known as the MSM) which it is laid over the crib of the innocent, sleeping baby before it is murdered….
And also be aware that this wonderful arena of FREEDOM – called the internet – is squarely in the sights of the ruling elite who are aware exactly of the threat that it poses. They’re just itching to press the button.
Connolley is being sacrificed because his cover is well and truly blown. Probably thanks primarily to this site – otherwise knowbody might’ve noticed. Long live WUWT.

Tommy
August 24, 2010 3:09 pm

I like wikipedia and use it pretty often, mostly for tech info. Yesterday I was perusing the section on LDAP (a software protocol).
I also find the botanical information to be reasonable and a plant identification mobile site I am developing will have thousands of links to wikipedia (as well as other sources) at the species level.

wayne
August 24, 2010 3:16 pm

Being banned? How ironic. Dr. Connolley finally gets to taste his own medicine that he has prescribed for so many.

Djozar
August 24, 2010 3:17 pm

I’ll only rejoice when his exile is formalized.

Ken Hall
August 24, 2010 3:25 pm

My daughter was instructed at the very start of her key skills module at the start of her first year zoology degree that reputable sources are encouraged and that wikipedia is NOT a reputable source. If any student referred to wikipedia as a source, they would fail.
There is far too much political interference and the editor’s own bias in wikipedia.

MikeD
August 24, 2010 3:29 pm

Surprisingly little mention of KDP in all of that. But it seems far more focused on civility than some of WMC’s Cabal’s “policies.” WMC’s response is his usual tone(paraphrasing): “I know it all you peons are beneath me now move along.”
The actual climate change page is not where most of my personal distaste comes from. I’m far more turned off by the politicized use of BLP pages and event/controversy pages.
Wiki is in a tough position as the most qualified users available to edit scientific material there are also ferocious activists.
Does anyone know what WMC is doing for gainful employment these days? I’d be very curious to see if it’s just his personal activism or something more possibly driving the actions.

Cold Englishman
August 24, 2010 3:43 pm

Wiki was a wonderful Utopian idea, but like all Utopiae, it assumes that those living within it are all above reproach-everybody is perfect.
Unfortunately human nature isn’t like that, and Wiki has destroyed it’s reputation by allowing Dr Connelly and others to edit material to suit their own prejudices. If they had dealt with this problem rapidly and with diligence they would have retained and enhanced their reputation, but the have taken too long and done too little.
A total lifetime ban is the only sanction here, but of course he could use an alias, so the ban would be ineffectual.
Hence, do not use Wiki at all. You simply cannot rely on it. Google will turn up plenty of references for any subject you care to name, even though they too can show bias.

Common Sense
August 24, 2010 4:03 pm

Our K through 12 schools have always banned Wikipedia as a source. Until reading about the climate battle here, I thought teachers were being elitist. Clearly, they were correct.
Unfortunately, printed textbooks haven’t escaped revisionist history either and teachers are happy to use those.

Alan Simpson not from Friends of the Earth
August 24, 2010 4:04 pm

I find [snip] Connelly is his own worst enemy, the half truths on wiki make people search wider for information.
I doubt if the wiki folks will ban him, in their rose tinted world duplicitous people cannot, ( absolutely CANNOT! exist so there! ), Connelly is a victim, a VICTIM I tell yah! /sarc.

PaulH
August 24, 2010 4:16 pm

William M. Connolley has been uncivil and antagonistic…
I’ve often been described in the same terms. ;-> Seriously, wikipedia doesn’t really have much use beyond the superficial, unless there is independent verification available elsewhere.

Alan Grey
August 24, 2010 4:25 pm

” In this setting, User:William M. Connolley has shown an unreasonable degree of Ownership over climate-related articles and unwillingness to work in a consensus environment.”
Ahahahahaha….
It’s all about consensus don’t you know….lol

August 24, 2010 4:30 pm

This is another case of ‘manmade global warming’ hurting itself. Time tells everything.