Dark Side of Wikipedia

Proposed thesis by Vasilis Kostakis.

Description

"Proposal for the MA in Technology Governance, TTU, September 2008

The dark side of Wikipedia

Towards a critique of peer governance and propositions for its enhancement

The free encyclopedia Wikipedia is often hailed as a prominent peer project where individuals voluntarily participate and, using mechanisms of self-governance, they produce a vast knowledge base i.e. a Commons. This productive process of projects such as Wikipedia has been called as commons-oriented peer production [Benkler, 2006]. Peer production, a term coined by Yochai Benkler [2006], is a third open mode of production that has become typical for the Internet in recent years, where decisions arise from the free engagement and cooperation of producers. This mode is radically different from market-based production, which is based on equivalent exchange , and planned economies that rely on hierarchical structures[Benkler, 2006]. In addition, peer governance is a new mode of governance and bottom-up mode of participative decision-making that is being experimented in peer projects, such as Open Source and Free software production and Wikipedia [Bauwens, 2005] .

However, various criticisms have been leveled against the Wikipedia regarding the mode of peer governance that is followed. The power structure within the Wikipedia is 'invisible', 'vague' and 'opaque' giving chance to the tyranny of structurelessness, as described by Jo Freeman [1970], to emerge. Critical questions such as "where is the power in Wikipedia?" and "what kind of dysfunctionalities does the Wikipedia experience? Why does it happen?" are going to be examined and answered during the conduction of the thesis. Therefore, using the Wikipedia case as a point of departure this project will try to draw some conclusions upon the dysfunctional sides of peer governance and make any suggestions for its enhancement. Furthermore, these conclusions and theoretical findings will allow for a consideration on peer governance, wiki-politics and democracy."

References:

Bauwens, M., (2005), The Political Economy of Peer Production, Ctheory.net. URL <http://www.ctheory.net/articles.aspx?id=499> (retrieved 10 March 2007).

Benkler, Y., (2006), The Wealth of Networks: How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom, Yale University Press.

Freeman, J., (1970), The Tyranny of Structurelessness, The Berkley Journal of Sociology.