Type of site Wikipedia Editing Commercial Yes | Available in English Current status active | |
Owner Alex Konanykhin and Silvina Moschini | ||
WikiExperts is a web-based company founded by Alex Konanykhin. On October 17, 2013, the firm, its employees, and any related firms were banned from editing Wikipedia.
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Company overview
In May 2013 Moschini appeared on the Clix program on CNN en Español, where she discussed WikiExperts and Wikipedia. She confirmed that WikiExperts does produce content directly for Wikipedia, insisting that all content is fully compliant with Wikipedia style and policies. She argued that while some notable subjects can make their way on to Wikipedia through voluntary routes, others require assistance to receive a presence on Wikipedia. Moschini was also interviewed by CNN about the role of WikiExperts on Wikipedia, and discussed her view that paying editors on Wikipedia and other forms of commercialization is a natural step for the website. Konanykhin has also been interviewed regarding his view of WikiExperts' role in Wikipedia, stating that Wikipedia affects the brand value and consumer perception of businesses. He has stated that WikiExperts exists to help manage that effect.
Terms of Use and conflict of interest guideline
The work of the company is in violation of Wikipedia's Terms of Use, which state: "As part of these obligations, you must disclose your employer, client, and affiliation with respect to any contribution for which you receive, or expect to receive, compensation", as well as the Wikipedia conflict of interest guideline, which discourages people from editing articles about people or organizations when they have any form of commercial relationship with the article's subject. The company has stated in response that it complies with Wikipedia policies and advises companies as to how they can edit Wikipedia or have Wikipedia edited according to its policies and guidelines, and that the articles produced by the company are written and edited objectively. Konanykhin asserts that complying with Wikipedia's conflict of interest guidelines would expose his clients to discrimination and retaliation, even if they were otherwise compliant with Wikipedia's standards, and thus that to comply with the guidelines would be "unethical".
WikiExperts has called for a boycott of Wikipedia fundraising campaigns, "We believe that boycotting fundraising efforts of Wikipedia might compel it to raise billions via advertising and develop content of significantly better quality."