Gibraltarpedia

According to Gibraltarpedia's web site, the project "aims to cover every single notable place, person, artefact, plant and animal in Gibraltar in as many languages as possible." Its scope also extends to the Strait of Gibraltar, the Spanish municipalities along the coast of the Bay of Gibraltar, the northernmost coast of Morocco and the Spanish town of Ceuta on the African coast opposite Gibraltar.{{cite web|url=http://www.gibraltarpedia.org|title=Gibraltarpedia project page|access-date=23 September 2009}}{{cite web|title=Gibraltar: Gibraltarpedia|url=http://www.agencynewsnetwork.com/go/index/204003|work=agencynewsnetwork.com|publisher=Agency News Network|date=13 July 2012|access-date=28 July 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111194148/http://www.agencynewsnetwork.com/go/index/204003|archive-date=11 November 2013}} It is structured as a WikiProject, involving a collaboration that includes volunteer editors, the Government of Gibraltar, the Gibraltar Tourism Board, the Gibraltar Museum, and Roger Bamkin, a former trustee of Wikimedia UK.How Wikipedia Works: And How You Can Be a Part of It, p. 213. Phoebe Ayers, Charles Matthews, Ben Yates. No Starch Press (2008). {{ISBN|9781593271763}}{{cite web|url=http://www.panorama.gi/localnews/headlines.php?action=view_article&article=9150&offset=0|title=Volunteers descend on history of Gibraltar's 200 caves!|date=7 August 2012|access-date=23 September 2012|publisher=Panorama|location=Gibraltar}}

The Gibraltarpedia project was announced in July 2012 by the Government of Gibraltar.[http://vox.gi/local/5587-gibraltarpedia.html "Gibraltarpedia"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110222739/http://vox.gi/local/5587-gibraltarpedia.html |date=10 November 2013 }}, Gibraltar:Vox. 13 July 2012. Retrieved 14 July 2012.[http://www.yourgibraltartv.com/ygtv-news/written-news/1788-jul-13-government-on-board-with-gibraltarpedia-initiative "Jul 13 Government on Board with Gibraltarpedia initiative"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111225905/http://www.yourgibraltartv.com/ygtv-news/written-news/1788-jul-13-government-on-board-with-gibraltarpedia-initiative |date=11 November 2013 }}, YGTV. 13 July 2012. Retrieved 14 July 2012. The idea for Gibraltarpedia originated with Tyson Lee Holmes, a Gibraltarian who contributes to Wikipedia. Holmes read about Monmouthpedia and believed Gibraltar could benefit from a similar project. Holmes contacted Stewart Finlayson of the Gibraltar Museum, and Finlayson then contacted representatives of Wikimedia UK. The organisers of Monmouthpedia were invited to Gibraltar to discuss proposals.{{cite web|title=Gibraltarpedia |url=https://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/new/sites/default/files/Press%20archives/Press%20Releases/2012/444-2012.pdf |publisher=Government of Gibraltar |date=13 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171122023256/https://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/new/sites/default/files/Press%20archives/Press%20Releases/2012/444-2012.pdf|archive-date=22 November 2017}}

The Government of Gibraltar viewed Gibraltarpedia as a means to promote tourism, and the Gibraltar Tourist Board played a key role in the project's formation. Gibraltar's Minister for Tourism, Neil Costa, told a Welsh newspaper, "We as a Government have always said we need to be responsive and be able to seize opportunities as and when they arrive." Costa arranged meetings in Gibraltar for people from Wikipedia, which included tours of historical sites by staff from the Gibraltar Museum.

The Government initially had concerns about the fact that Wikipedia editors who "did not have Gibraltar's best interest at heart may write untrue or negative articles." Those concerns were reportedly allayed by assurances from Wikimedia UK. A government official told the Gibraltar Chronicle:

The people from Wikipedia UK have guaranteed to us that this has an element of self-regulation and we want to encourage many local volunteers to keep an eye on what is going on, and if things go on that is {{sic}} nasty, then it is very easy for them to go back to the earlier page in seconds.{{cite news |first=Eyleen |last=Sheil |title=Gibraltarpedia: A New Way To Market The Rock |newspaper=Gibraltar Chronicle |date=21 September 2012 |url=http://www.chronicle.gi/headlines_details.php?id=25479 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921042018/http://www.chronicle.gi/headlines_details.php?id=25479 |archive-date=21 September 2012 }}

In June 2012, the Government of Gibraltar signed a letter of intent with Roger Bamkin, a co-creator of Monmouthpedia and a director of Wikimedia UK, and with John Cummings, a Wikipedia editor.{{cite news|title=Wikimedia trustee resigns over conflict of interest concerns|author=Kirsty Weakley|publisher=Civil Society Governance|date=24 September 2012|url=http://www.civilsociety.co.uk/governance/news/content/13416/wikimedia_trustee_resigns_because_of_conflict_of_interest_concerns|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130215235436/http://www.civilsociety.co.uk/governance/news/content/13114/wikimedia_uk_chair_resigns_following_ban_from_wikipedia|archive-date=15 February 2013}} Bamkin provided consultancy advice on the production of QR codes and training for project contributors. He told the Western Mail in July 2012 that he selected Gibraltar as his next project "after being flooded with invitations from places around the world hoping to be the second Wikipedia town."{{cite news|title=Monmouthpedia idea goes global as creator looks to Gibraltar for next Wiki town; Project Generated Publicity 'Worth Pounds 2M' for Authority|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Monmouthpedia+idea+goes+global+as+creator+looks+to+Gibraltar+for+next...-a0297237924|access-date=16 August 2012|newspaper=Western Mail|date=23 July 2012|first=James |last=McCarthy|location=Cardiff, Wales}}

Workshops to facilitate contributions to Wikipedia and, more specifically, Gibraltarpedia were scheduled in Gibraltar in late July 2012.{{cite news |title=Gibraltarpedia on the Road to Success |url=http://vox.gi/local/5634-gibraltarpedia-on-the-road-to-success.html |access-date=28 July 2012 |location=Gibraltar |newspaper=Vox |date=18 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001064717/http://vox.gi/local/5634-gibraltarpedia-on-the-road-to-success.html |archive-date=1 October 2012 }}{{cite news|title=GibraltarpediA – the volunteer work begins |url=http://vox.gi/local/5651-gibraltarpedia-–-the-volunteer-work-begins.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130107113457/http://vox.gi/local/5651-gibraltarpedia-%E2%80%93-the-volunteer-work-begins.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 January 2013 |access-date=28 July 2012 |location=Gibraltar |newspaper=Vox |date=20 July 2012 }}{{cite web|title=Wikimedia Directors Host Workshops on Gibraltarpedia|url=http://www.yourgibraltartv.com/ygtv-news/written-news/1872-jul-23-wikimedia-directors-host-workshops-on-gibraltarpedia|work=yourgibraltartv.com|publisher=Your Gibraltar TV|access-date=28 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120726031009/http://www.yourgibraltartv.com/ygtv-news/written-news/1872-jul-23-wikimedia-directors-host-workshops-on-gibraltarpedia|archive-date=26 July 2012|url-status=dead}} Tyson Lee Holmes, coordinator of Gibraltarpedia, told the Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation that the project hoped "to get people interested in editing pages on, among other things, historical periods, prominent buildings, biographies."{{cite news|title=How to edit GibraltarpediA? |url=http://www.gbc.gi/news/news-details.php?id=131 |access-date=28 July 2012 |newspaper=GBC News |date=26 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111230704/http://www.gbc.gi/news/news-details.php?id=131 |archive-date=11 November 2013 }} In September 2012, the BBC reported that volunteers had been producing "up to 20 articles a day in various languages," and that Roger Bamkin was in Gibraltar for the week "seeking more people to contribute photos, maps and information on the territory's history."[https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-19544299 Katia Moskvitch, "Gibraltar targets tourists with Wikipedia QR codes"], BBC News, 17 September 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2012.

File:Tyson and plaque.jpg]]

The project had planned to use QRpedia QR codes (quick response codes) to provide multilingual smartphone access to Wikipedia articles covering notable subjects in Gibraltar. Once implemented, the codes were intended to allow visitors to retrieve Wikipedia articles in their default languages by using their smartphones to read the QR codes. The project planned to install plaques with the QR codes on significant buildings in Gibraltar. Roger Bamkin described the system as "tap technology," allowing visitors to "tap" QR codes with a cellular phone.

File:SQ WikiConference UK 2012 - Roger Bamkin.jpg

The key element of controversy was over Roger Bamkin's paid consultancy relationship with the Government of Gibraltar, resulting in critical coverage in many media outlets. Specifically, payment of an editor to promote specific content was viewed as controversial. Fears were raised that the incentive to raise revenue for Gibraltar's tourism sector (a large portion of its economy) could skew the neutrality of editing efforts. The activities of Bamkin within Wikipedia, such as submitting suggestions for Wikipedia's main page 'Did You Know' feature (featured seventeen times in August 2012), were described in media reports as to promote "his client's project".{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57514677-93/corruption-in-wikiland-paid-pr-scandal-erupts-at-wikipedia/|title=Corruption in Wikiland? Paid PR scandal erupts at Wikipedia|last=Blue|first=Violet|author-link=Violet Blue|date=18 September 2012|publisher=CNET}}{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/tech/jimmy-wales-disgusted-as-trustee-accused-of-editing-for-profit/ |title=Jimmy Wales 'disgusted' as trustee accused of editing for profit |date=19 September 2012 |access-date=9 May 2023 |publisher=Fox News}}

Slate magazine summarized the concerns of some as follows:

Once Wikipedia becomes a pay-to-play platform in any sense, it's no longer a balanced, universal wellspring of information. It's just another commercial website, with a particularly insidious brand of camouflaged advertising. Any company with a sly enough PR person could promote ostensibly fascinating facts about its products. If the 'Did You Know?' page was suddenly dominated by trivia about Gap or Mars Bars, many readers would quickly smell a rat, but there are numerous PR professionals who represent subtler brands and causes.{{cite news |title=A Stealth PR Campaign on Behalf of Gibraltar Provokes Existential Crisis for Wikipedia | author=Mark Joseph Stern |date=20 September 2012 |access-date=9 May 2023 |work=Slate Magazine |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2012/09/20/roger_bamkin_gibraltor_s_repeated_appearance_on_did_you_know_provkes_existential_crisis_for_wikipedia_.html}}

Noting that the controversy was revealed from within by Wikipedia editors, Forbes said that "the incident reinforces the power of Wikipedia’s community to monitor itself and self-discipline violations of its norms."{{cite news |author=Eric Goldman |title=Wikipedia's "Pay-for-Play" Scandal Highlights Wikipedia's Vulnerabilities |work=Forbes |date=5 October 2012 |access-date=9 May 2023 |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/ericgoldman/2012/10/05/wikipedias-pay-for-play-scandal-highlights-wikipedias-vulnerabilities/}} Brandchannel reported on the controversy and noted that payment of money to Wikipedia editors represented "the greatest threat the [Wikipedia] brand has seen to date."{{cite news |title=Wikipedia Brand Trust Erodes With PRikpedia, Gibraltarpedia Scandals |first=Abe|last=Sauer |publisher=Brandchannel |date=19 September 2012 |url=http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2012/09/19/Wikipedia-Paid-Posts-Scandal-091912.aspx|access-date=20 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202233337/http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2012/09/19/Wikipedia-Paid-Posts-Scandal-091912.aspx |archive-date=2 December 2013 |url-status=dead}} British web site The Register reported on concerns that the "scandal involving a close-knit group of friends and business associates who run Wikimedia UK may imperil its charitable status."{{cite news |title=Conflict-of-interest scandal could imperil Wikimedia charity status: 'A positive Wikipedia article is invaluable SEO' |first=Andrew |last=Orlowski |work=The Register |date=20 September 2012 |access-date=9 May 2023 |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/20/wikimedia_uk_scandal/}}

Various media outlets reported on the response of Jimmy Wales to the controversy. Wales noted: "It is wildly inappropriate for a board member of a chapter, or anyone else in an official role of any kind in a charity associated with Wikipedia, to take payment from customers in exchange for securing favorable placement on the front page of Wikipedia or anywhere else."{{cite news|title=Wikipedia contributors decry pay for posts: Critics point to two high-profile contributors who have outside consulting businesses related to Wikipedia content |first=Grant |last=Gross |publisher=Computerworld|date=19 September 2012 |access-date=9 May 2023 |url=http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9231463/Wikipedia_contributors_decry_pay_for_posts}}

In his declaration of interest to Wikimedia UK, Bamkin denied engaging in any paid editing. Bamkin noted:

At the end of June Roger signed a contract with the Government of Gibraltar. There is no known COI [conflict of interest] as WMUK [Wikimedia UK] does not have a relationship with this Government but it is hoped that one may develop. ... The contract includes the delivery of training and the creation of QRpedia plaques—there is no paid editing involved.{{cite web|title=Declarations of Interest|publisher=Wikimedia UK|url=http://wikimedia.org.uk/w/index.php?title=Declarations_of_Interest&oldid=28870#Roger_Bamkin |date=19 September 2012|access-date=22 September 2012}}

On 20 September 2012, Wikimedia UK announced Bamkin had stepped down as a trustee.{{cite news|title=Wikimedia UK trustee quits amid conflict-of-interest row: Hangs on to his QRCodes, though|author=Andrew Orlowski|date=25 September 2012|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/25/wikimedia_scandal_resignation/}} Chris Keating, the Chair of Wikimedia UK, said: "Roger has always conducted himself with openness and honesty with regards to his business interests ... However we have reached the decision together that it is best if Roger steps back from the Board, and thus the Board has accepted his resignation."{{cite web|title=Board Update|publisher=Wikimedia UK|date=20 September 2012|url=http://blog.wikimedia.org.uk/2012/09/board-update-2/}}

On 21 September 2012, the Gibraltar Chronicle reported a Gibraltar Government spokesman as saying that there was no basis for the claim that it had paid Bamkin to raise the profile of articles about Gibraltar. The spokesman noted that Bamkin continued to provide advice on the production of QR codes and training for volunteer contributors to "Gibraltar's Wikipedia site" [sic]{{cite news|first=Brian |last=Reyes|newspaper=Gibraltar Chronicle|title=Govt rejects 'wiki-nobble' claim|date=21 September 2012|url=http://www.chronicle.gi/headlines_details.php?id=26079 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020102109/http://www.chronicle.gi/headlines_details.php?id=26079 |archive-date=20 October 2013}} The Chronicle also noted that the Government "aims to set up Gibraltar's own Wikipedia site"[sic] and identified Bamkin as a person who "played a prominent role" in the development of Wikipedia.

Also on 21 September 2012, Wikimedia UK issued a press release stating that it had no formal ties with Gibraltarpedia. While expressing a desire to provide formal support to Gibraltarpedia if a memorandum of understanding could be reached with the Government of Gibraltar "setting out shared aims and objectives," the release stated that the charity had not funded the project and noted that "[its] only material involvement [had] been to supply some 'how to edit Wikipedia' leaflets, which is the kind of thing [it] would do for any institution."{{cite web|title=Gibraltarpedia: WMUK press release|publisher=Wikimedia UK|date=21 September 2012|url=http://blog.wikimedia.org.uk/2012/09/gibraltarpedia-the-facts/}}

On 2 October 2012, The Daily Telegraph reported that, as a result of the Gibraltarpedia controversy, Wikimedia UK had been "barred from processing some donations" and faced "an investigation over alleged conflicts of interest."{{cite news|last=Williams|first=Christopher|title=Wikipedia charity faces investigation over trustee 'conflict of interest'|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/wikipedia/9581813/Wikipedia-charity-faces-investigation-over-trustee-conflict-of-interest.html|access-date=3 October 2012|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|date=2 October 2012}}{{cite news|title=Wiki-Gib Controversy Rekindled |author=Brian Reyes |newspaper=Gibraltar Chronicle |date=4 October 2012 |url=http://www.chronicle.gi/headlines_details.php?id=26231 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112033958/http://www.chronicle.gi/headlines_details.php?id=26231 |archive-date=12 January 2014 }} The Wikimedia Foundation's vice chair stated that the investigation was sparked by "several (highly) irregular activities", but subsequently clarified that he meant "unusual enough to warrant further review" rather than improper.

On 7 February 2013, the report was released, and identified Gibraltarpedia as one of the incidents that led to the review. Among the findings was that WMUK was unable to appropriately handle such conflicts of interest, and that Bamkin's acceptance of consultancy fees provided an opportunity for the charity's reputation to be damaged.{{cite web|url=http://www.civilsociety.co.uk/governance/news/content/14428/wikimedia_uk_trustees_have_been_too_involved_to_govern_the_charity|title=Wikimedia UK trustees have been 'too involved' to effectively govern charity|last=Young|first=Niki May|publisher=Civil Society Governance|date=8 February 2013|access-date=16 April 2013}}

Jimmy Wales suggested a five-year moratorium on Gibraltar-related content appearing on Wikipedia's main page,{{cite web | url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/10/26/gibraltar_pwns_wikipedia/ | title= Wales: Let's ban Gibraltar-crazy Wikipedians for 5 years |work= The Register }} but the idea was rejected by the Wikipedia community, which instead created guidelines limiting how frequently Gibraltar topics could appear on Wikipedia's main page, including restricting the number of articles to one per day and requiring two reviewers to check for conflict-of-interest issues or promotionalism.{{cite news|title=Wikipedia's Gibraltar 'moratorium' - how's it going?|last=Orlowski|first=Andrew|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/02/18/wikipedia_gibraltar_fancy_that/|work=The Register|date=18 February 2013|access-date=17 April 2013}} The restrictions were lifted in September 2013.{{cite web|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia_talk:Did_you_know&oldid=572707339#Remove_restrictions_on_Gibraltar_articles.3F|title=Wikipedia talk:Did you know|date=13 September 2013|access-date=13 September 2013}}

{{Reflist}}

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Category:2012 establishments in Gibraltar

Category:Wikitown projects

Category:Wikimedia UK

Category:Articles containing video clips

Category:Works about Gibraltar

Category:Wikipedia controversies

Category:Conflict-of-interest editing on Wikipedia