Wikipedia:Paid operatives

WEaPOn stands for Wikipedia Editors against Paid Operative nurturing.

It is a repository for editors to store information, comments (Pro and Con), conversations, gatherings from here and there, etc. on the topic of Paid Operatives at WikiPedia

Conflict of Interest

• A Wikipedia conflict of interest (COI) is an incompatibility between the aim of Wikipedia, which is to produce a neutral, reliably sourced encyclopedia, and the aims of an individual editor. COI editing involves contributing to Wikipedia in order to promote your own interests or those of other individuals, companies, or groups. From WP:COI
• Where advancing outside interests is more important to an editor than advancing the aims of Wikipedia, that editor stands in a conflict of interest. From WP:COI

Jimbo's Support of Joe DeSantis

• == Thank you ==

Thank you for being open about your identity and treating the community with respect. Reviewing your edit history, I see that you have not made any edits to article space (only talk pages) for many months - this is a very good thing indeed. Please know that as long as you continue following these practices, I will support your participation and use it as a model for others.--Jimbo Wales (talk) 12:15, 31 January 2012 (UTC)

lifted from Editor joedesantis Talk on 2/11/2012

Jimbo's Support?

" ... I think it is good to keep a close eye on Joe DeSantis - the media will be watching his every edit..." Jimbo Wales

from Jimbo Wales (talk) 13:37, 10 February 2012 (UTC)

Conversation w/ Joe de Santis

• ==Behind the 8 Ball==

As I'm sure you are aware, I don't and will not attack you. Other editors may interpret my questions and a pursuit of answers as attacks but that is the self-imposed limitation of those editors. Paid operatives are not a new issue w/ me. I spent many long hours at the Sarah Palin article, in 2008, in discussions about that very subject. The existence of campaign staff members at the articles about the candidate for which they work is a foregone conclusion. I respect the fact that you came forward. Wikipedia is too good a free source not to embrace as a vehicle. I have no gripe against you. I just can't see how you can do your job and still remain impartial. If your title was Comm Dir for the Republican Party I might grasp the possibility. I have no beef as long as you remain transparent. I have no beef if edits by volunteer editors, that germinate from Gingrich HeadQuarters, are clearly noted as such, at least at the talk Page. One last thing about the article. It mentions a changing of staff personel somewhere along the line. But then no mention is made of re-staffing. The reader is left in the dark as to how many, which positions, etc. The impression I get is that there was a major shift in direction and new staff people came on board...but no mention is made of it. BTW...Were you a part of that changeover? FYI...I am not a REP or a DEM. I am a libertarian (note the small "ell"). ```Buster Seven Talk 06:28, 2 February 2012 (UTC)

Conversations @ Jimbo's Talk Page

1. User talk:Jimbo Wales#Paid Operatives
2. User talk:Jimbo Wales#Joe Desantis

Notes

1. Note--- There is a conflict of interest. Joes signing does not remove it. His signing is now transparent; for all to see, not just the editors that have some history with the situation. But there is still a WP:COI
2. Note--- This is not about User:Joe DeSantis. This is about Paid Operatives. Most are invisible. Joe happens to be the only one with a nametag. So his efforts to do his job as Communications Director are transparent and are available as a "template" to guide other self-identifying Political Paid Operatives.

Conversations elsewhere on WP

1. Talk:Newt Gingrich#Request edit in marriages section
2. Talk:Newt Gingrich#Resolving POV in lead section
3. Talk:Newt Gingrich#About "For-profit companies
4. Talk:Newt Gingrich#Government shutdown
5. Talk:Newt Gingrich#Merge discussion:Callista Gingrich into this article
6. Talk:Newt Gingrich#"83 other charges" in lead section
7. Talk:Newt Gingrich#Mass reversions and edits
8. Talk:Newt Gingrich#Enough, Joe
9. Talk:Newt Gingrich#Ethics investigation
10. Talk:Callista Gingrich#Gingrich campaign alters the article
11. Talk:Callista Gingrich#Misstatement in former job title
12. Talk:Callista Gingrich#discussion
13. Talk:Callista Gingrich#This article is supposed to be about Callista, not Newt or Joe

Pertinent Guidelines

• WP:Conflict of interest
• WP:Suggestions for COI compliance

Request edit

The following Request edit box should accompany ALL edit requests by a Paid Operative as advised at WP:SCOIC which reads;

• 3)....Create a new section by clicking the "+" or "new section" tab at the top of the page. Title it "Proposed change" or "Proposed addition." Type {{request edit}}.

{{Request edit}}

Driving the Bus

• The Bus is symbolic of ALL Political articles
• Paid Operatives should not, at any time, have their hands on the steering wheel of the Bus
• Paid Operatives should NEVER drive the Bus
• Paid Operatives should not be allowed, by other editors, to drive the Bus.
• Paid operatives are passengers on the bus just like the other editors. They have no special seating assignment, no reduced fare, no GPS control of where the Bus is headed, no special permission to be a spokesman for the Bus Company.
• Paid Operatives should ONLY ask the opinions of the bus drivers (Other editors).
• Paid Operatives should NEVER direct the drivers of the Bus where to go and what to say when they get there unless the direction is agreed upon via consensus of the passengers.

Further reading

• User:Durova/The dark side. The risks of trying to subvert Wikipedia.
• User:Jmabel/PR. Guidance for public relations people
• User:Uncle G/On notability#Writing about subjects close to you. On writing about subjects that are close to oneself.
• Wikipedia:Search engine optimization. An essay for search engine optimization people.
• Wikipedia:Vested interest. About interests that may not be conflicts.
• Wikipedia:Best practices for editors with conflicts of interest
• pr-consultants-should-think-twice-before-using-wikipedia-to-promote-clients Advice from a UK PR company
• Wikipedia:Paid editing (essay). What to do when it comes to paid editing and you.
• WP:SCOIC
• User:Herostratus/Wikiproject_Paid_Advocacy_Watch. A project to systemically address issues regarding paid editing on Wikipedia, in which people are compensated to create and edit Wikipedia articles.