5 ms·

So now, if a Google related Wikipedia article has something added to it that Google doesn’t like, they can suggest to Wikimedia they might not renew their contr

by cgb223 4y ago

So now, if a Google related Wikipedia article has something added to it that Google doesn’t like, they can suggest to Wikimedia they might not renew their contract unless things are “made right” Google is just one example of this. Any company now has a pathway to do so. I think this is terrible incentives, and destroys the goal of having an Encyclopedia free from interference where only truth can come through

endisneigh 4y ago
Google could already do this per your hypothetical given that Google donates millions.
- danuker 4y ago
  That doesn't argue for going further in serving Google.
- bawolff 4y ago
  [Citation needed] Pretty sure google is not a big enough donor to really matter.
  - endisneigh 4y ago
    They’re a non profit, you can go and see Google’s contributions easily yourself. Google is one of the biggest single entity donors
    - bawolff 4y ago
      Where? All i could find is they donated > $50,000 but i dont see how much more. I guess it depends how much more, but that doesn't particularly seem like a lot relative to WMF's annual budget.
      - endisneigh 4y ago
        https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/22/google-org-donates-2-million-to-wikipedias-parent-org/amp/ https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/22/google-org-donates-2-milli... You’d have to look at their annual reports to get more granular info
        bawolff 4y ago
        The annual report does not have this info as far as i can tell. That article is about the endowment not WMF itself. It might all be connected, but the endowment is removed enough that i think the argument that the donation gives google any control is silly. It also says that there was a 1.1 million donation to WMF proper, based on a vote of google staff. Really not seeing the potential control there, given that it wasnt really directed by google executive. Regardless, i dont think a donation that is only ~1% of the annual budget is enough to give google any control
not2b 4y ago
Alternatively, Google can modify their copy of whatever they take from Wikipedia and display to their users. The license permits this. They don't need Wikipedia to change anything.
roneythomas6 4y ago
Google has been huge contributor to wikipedia for over a decade now.
- altilunium 4y ago
  Financially [1] and technically [2]. [1] https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/22/google-org-donates-2-million-to-wikipedias-parent-org/ https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/22/google-org-donates-2-milli... [2] https://diff.wikimedia.org/2022/04/14/google-org-fellowship-with-abstract-wikipedia-and-wikifunctions/ https://diff.wikimedia.org/2022/04/14/google-org-fellowship-...
ryan_lane 4y ago
WMF has an endowment and Google's donations don't contribute a high enough percentage to substantially change their budgeting.
bawolff 4y ago
Wikimedia foundation does not have editorial control of wikipedia. Google can demand all they want, even if they somehow got WMF on board, WMF couldn't do anything about it.

by cgb223 4y ago

endisneigh 4y ago

Google could already do this per your hypothetical given that Google donates millions.

danuker 4y ago
That doesn't argue for going further in serving Google.
bawolff 4y ago
[Citation needed] Pretty sure google is not a big enough donor to really matter.
- endisneigh 4y ago
  They’re a non profit, you can go and see Google’s contributions easily yourself. Google is one of the biggest single entity donors
  - bawolff 4y ago
    Where? All i could find is they donated > $50,000 but i dont see how much more. I guess it depends how much more, but that doesn't particularly seem like a lot relative to WMF's annual budget.
    - endisneigh 4y ago
      https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/22/google-org-donates-2-million-to-wikipedias-parent-org/amp/ https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/22/google-org-donates-2-milli... You’d have to look at their annual reports to get more granular info
      - bawolff 4y ago
        The annual report does not have this info as far as i can tell. That article is about the endowment not WMF itself. It might all be connected, but the endowment is removed enough that i think the argument that the donation gives google any control is silly. It also says that there was a 1.1 million donation to WMF proper, based on a vote of google staff. Really not seeing the potential control there, given that it wasnt really directed by google executive. Regardless, i dont think a donation that is only ~1% of the annual budget is enough to give google any control

not2b 4y ago

Alternatively, Google can modify their copy of whatever they take from Wikipedia and display to their users. The license permits this. They don't need Wikipedia to change anything.

roneythomas6 4y ago

Google has been huge contributor to wikipedia for over a decade now.

altilunium 4y ago
Financially [1] and technically [2]. [1] https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/22/google-org-donates-2-million-to-wikipedias-parent-org/ https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/22/google-org-donates-2-milli... [2] https://diff.wikimedia.org/2022/04/14/google-org-fellowship-with-abstract-wikipedia-and-wikifunctions/ https://diff.wikimedia.org/2022/04/14/google-org-fellowship-...

ryan_lane 4y ago

WMF has an endowment and Google's donations don't contribute a high enough percentage to substantially change their budgeting.

bawolff 4y ago

Wikimedia foundation does not have editorial control of wikipedia. Google can demand all they want, even if they somehow got WMF on board, WMF couldn't do anything about it.