Encyclopedia Dramatica
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A screenshot of Encyclopedia Dramatica | |
Type of site | Satirical wiki |
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Available in | English |
Owner | "Joseph Evers"[1][2] |
Created by | "girlvinyl"[3] |
Revenue | Ad and donation driven |
URL | www.encyclopediadramatica.com |
Commercial | Yes |
Registration | Optional (required to edit pages) |
Encyclopedia Dramatica (sometimes styled as Encyclopædia Dramatica) is a parody of Internet encyclopedias such as Wikipedia,[5][6] written on a wiki,[7][8] using the MediaWiki engine. It uses apparently comprehensive referencing and linking, but is written in a satirical, intentionally politically incorrect,[9] and often abusive style.[10] Many of the articles are written in an ironic manner with the express purpose of upsetting those who take the content seriously (an activity known on the Internet as trolling).[11] The site itself claims that it is "done in the spirit of Ambrose Bierce's The Devil's Dictionary."[4]
The content is wide-ranging, covering gossip and "drama" in other Internet forums, Internet subculture, users of web services,[5] and online catchphrases, in a manner that has been variously described as coarse, offensive and frequently obscene.[9][12][13][14] Articles at Encyclopedia Dramatica criticize MySpace[14] as well as Wikipedia and its administrators.[5]
The site received mainstream media attention after Jason Fortuny used the Encyclopedia Dramatica to post photographs, e-mails, and phone numbers from 176 responses to a Craigslist advertisement he posted in 2006 posing as a woman seeking sexual encounters with dominant men.[7][8]
Encyclopedia Dramatica has been cited as a reference on the topic of Internet culture by The Observer,[15] and blogs such as AlterNet,[16] Language Log,[17] and the Gothamist network.[18] It is cited as an authority on imageboard (such as 4chan) slang and culture and Internet memes by Wired[11] and others.[10][19] The website served as a "favourite haunt" for Project Chanology.[9] Anonymous also used ED as a planning hub for other operations including one that led to the arrest of a Canadian child sexual abuser.[20]
References
- ^ The "Encyclopedia Dramatica" entry, http://www.encyclopediadramatica.com/Encyclopedia_Dramatica, lists Joseph Evers as owner, page is fully protected under that version as of 2008-05-30. The "Joseph Evers" entry, http://www.encyclopediadramatica.com/Joseph Evers lists Joseph Evers as running the parent company of ED, it was fully protected under that version from 2008-04-30 to 2008-05-03.
- ^ "Joseph Evers". LinkedIn.com. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
I am the man behind several top-ranking websites, the most commonly known being web culture meme wiki Encyclopedia Dramatica.
- ^ The "about" page, http://www.encyclopediadramatica.com/Encyclopedia_Dramatica:About, and "Enclyclopedia Dramatica" entry, http://www.encyclopediadramatica.com/Encyclopedia_Dramatica, credit authorship to "girlvinyl".
- ^ a b http://www.encyclopediadramatica.com/Encyclopedia_Dramatica:About Retrieved on 25 May 2008.
- ^ a b c Dee, Jonathan (2007-07-01). "All the News That's Fit to Print Out". The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved 2008-05-17.
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(help) - ^ From the "about" page, http://www.encyclopediadramatica.com/Encyclopedia_Dramatica:About, "(...) bear in mind that the Encyclopedia Dramatica itself is a parody of a much less funny online encyclopedia (...)" with the last words being a wikilink to Encyclopedia Dramatica's article on Wikipedia
- ^ a b Chonin, Neva (2006-09-17). "Sex and the City". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Communications. pp. p.20.
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has extra text (help); Text "accessdate-2008-05-14" ignored (help) - ^ a b "Privacy". Warren's Washington Internet Daily. 2006-09-12.
- ^ a b c Davies, Shaun (2008-05-08). "Critics point finger at satirical website". National Nine News.
- ^ a b Peckham, Charles (2008-02-01). "Encyclopedia Dramatica". Chico News & Review.
- ^ a b Dibbell, Julian (2008-01-18). "Mutilated Furries, Flying Phalluses: Put the Blame on Griefers, the Sociopaths of the Virtual World". Wired (16.02). San Francisco: Condé Nast Publications. Retrieved 2008-05-17.
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(help) - ^ Douglas, Nick (2008-01-18). "What The Hell Are 4chan, ED, Something Awful, And 'b'?". Gawker.com.
- ^ "2 Do: Monday, December 26". RedEye Edition. Chicago Tribune. 2005-12-16. pp. p. 2.
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has extra text (help) - ^ a b Mitchell, John (2006-05-20). "Megabits and Pieces: The latest teen hangout". North Adams Transcript.
- ^ Hind, John. (2005-06-05). "What's the word?". The Observer.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ Cassel, David (2007-03-08). "John Edwards' Virtual Attackers Unmasked". AlterNet.
- ^ Zimmer, Benjamin (2007-05-18). "Lol-lexicography". Language Log.
- ^ "Anonymous Protests Outside Scientology Sites". Londonist. 2008-02-11.
- ^ Himmelein, Gerald (2008-02-28). "Das Trollparadies". c't. Heise Zeitschriften Verlag. pp. p.100.
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has extra text (help) - ^ "Anonymous operation leads to pedophile conviction". 2006. Global Television Network.
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External links
- Lulzcon - Official Encyclopedia Dramatica convention, co-sponsored with YTMND and Something Awful