User:OwenBlacker/COI warning for companies
 | This is an essay on conflict of interest. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints. |
Wikipedia has some strict rules on conflicts of interest — it’s a big no-no for a company to write an article about themselves (or to edit articles about themselves), as generally the Wikipedia community doesn’t trust that people can be neutral and unbiased when writing about companies that pay them (never underestimate the cynicism of some people).
The policies you want to read are:
- Business's FAQ
- Notability (organisations and companies)
- Conflict of interest
- Neutral point of view
- Suggestions for COI compliance
I know that’s a relatively hefty list; the first two (in bold) are the key ones about which companies Wikipedia considers "notable enough" to include. The other three are about Wikipedia’s policies on conflicts of interests.
You might also find it useful to read the (intensely frustrating) conflict of interest discussion that came up when I was working at uSwitch:
- The Conflict of interest noticeboard discussion (relatively constructive and useful discussion)
- A COI discussion with one specific user (the kind of frustrating conversation that can result from people worrying that edits aren't neutral)
Sorry to answer a question not only with another question but also a massive reading list, but it really is a complex, thorny subject. Wikipedia is a big community with established rules and I have neither the time nor the inclination to end up arguing about why I’m not actually breaking them (even if the cynical might think that I am) all over again ;o)
Written: 13 May 2009
Update, June 2014
[edit]Having just pointed some colleagues to this essay again recently, it occurs to me I should expand upon it some. For now, though, I'm just going to add a couple more links from the current edition of Signpost:
I'll flesh this out some more when I next have a chance. — OwenBlacker (Talk) 08:58, 18 June 2014 (UTC)
Update, August 2015
[edit]I've still not made that update, but there's an essay on "paid editing" (which is what you'd be doing if you're writing about a company who pays you) at Wikipedia:Paid editing (essay). — OwenBlacker (Talk) 06:54, 18 August 2015 (UTC)