# WikiScanner

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Defunct database linking Wikipedia edits to institutions

WikiScanner Screenshot of the website on August 22, 2007. Type of site Database tool Available in Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Polish Owner Virgil Griffith Created by Virgil Griffith URL wikiscanner.virgil.gr Virgil Griffith's virgil.gr (current) Commercial No Registration No Launched August 13, 2007 (18 years ago) (2007-08-13) Current status Offline (at least since 2013, page moved)

**WikiScanner** (also known as **Wikipedia Scanner**) was a publicly searchable database that linked [anonymous edits](/source/Community_of_Wikipedia#Anonymity_of_editors) on [Wikipedia](/source/Wikipedia) to the organizations where those edits apparently originated. It did this by cross-referencing the edits with data on the owners of the associated block of [IP addresses](/source/IP_addresses), though it did not investigate edits made under a username. It was created by [Virgil Griffith](/source/Virgil_Griffith) and released on August 13, 2007.[1][2]

In his "WikiScanner FAQ" Griffith stated his belief that WikiScanner could help make Wikipedia more [reliable](/source/Reliability_of_Wikipedia) for controversial topics.[3] He also indicated that he had never been employed by the [Wikimedia Foundation](/source/Wikimedia_Foundation) and claimed his work on WikiScanner was "100% noncommercial".[3] On December 21, 2012, a research group from [Fondazione Bruno Kessler](/source/Fondazione_Bruno_Kessler) released an open-source clone of WikiScanner called *WikiWatchdog*.

By April 2013, attempts to run "WikiScanner Classic" from wikiscanner.virgil.gr returned to the WikiScanner home page, which identified itself as "WIKIWATCHER.COM"; and invoking "WikiScanner2 PreviewNew!" led to a "failure to load the page due to [timeout](/source/Timeout_(computing))" error.[4]

In 2007, Virgil Griffith said he had to take WikiScanner down, as it was costing him "several thousand USD per month."[5] He added below this on his WikiScanner webpage that as a grad student at Caltech in 2008 he developed with the aid of several undergraduates "a suite of Wikipedia-related tools known collectively as "WikiWatcher" which included: WikiScanner2 (Daniel), Wikiganda (Rishi), Poor Man's Checkuser, and BeaverScope," which he launched at the Hackers on Planet Earth (HOPE) conference that year. They used "high-quality data" from Quova, and among them WikiWatcher "had some media successes, but when the summer was over there was no one to maintain the tools and they fell into disrepair."[5]

## Design

The tool's [database](/source/Database) contained 34 million entries on anonymous edits (those by users who were not logged in to Wikipedia) between February 7, 2002, and August 4, 2007.[3] Griffith stated that the database was constructed by compiling the anonymous edits included amongst the monthly public database dumps of Wikipedia. He claimed to have connected the organizations to their IP address with the assistance of the IP2Location database, and through comparison had found "187,529 different organizations with at least one anonymous Wikipedia edit."[3]

WikiScanner only worked on anonymous edits, which are made under an IP address, not edits by anyone logged in under a username. It could not distinguish between edits made by authorized users of an organization, unauthorized intruders, or users of public-access computers that may have been using an organization's network. In discussing edits made from computers in the [Vatican](/source/Holy_See), computer expert Kevin Curran was quoted by the [BBC](/source/BBC) as saying that it was "difficult to determine if the person was an employee or if they had maliciously hacked into the Vatican system and were 'spoofing' the IP address."[6]

The WikiScanner FAQ noted that edits could not be positively attributed to representatives of a company, only to a computer logged into a company's network. The FAQ went on to say there is no guarantee that an edit was made by an authorized user rather than an intruder.[3] The likelihood of such intrusions depended upon an organizations' network security; organizations such as the [Vatican Library](/source/Vatican_Library) have public access terminals or networks.[7]

## Media coverage and reaction

According to [*Wired*](/source/Wired_(magazine)), which first broke the story on August 13, 2007, most edits were "fairly innocuous".[2] *Wired* asked users to submit "The most shameful Wikipedia spin jobs",[8] which generated many news stories about organizations, such as the [Al-Jazeera](/source/Al_Jazeera_Arabic) network, [Fox News Channel](/source/Fox_News_Channel), staffers of Democratic [Senator Robert Byrd](/source/Robert_Byrd) and the [CIA](/source/CIA), that had edited Wikipedia articles.

On August 21, 2007, satirist [Stephen Colbert](/source/Stephen_Colbert) who had long featured [stories about Wikipedia](/source/Wikipedia_in_culture#Wikiality) and its "[truthiness](/source/Truthiness)" on his program mocked WikiScanner creator [Virgil Griffith](/source/Virgil_Griffith)'s ambivalent stance on anonymity on Wikipedia, declaring it the "right" of corporations and governments to participate in the [democratic process](/source/Consensus_reality) of deciding what is and is not true on Wikipedia.[9]

According to the [BBC](/source/BBC) from August 15, 2007, WikiScanner found that some editorial contributions to Wikipedia had originated from computers operated by the [Diebold](/source/Diebold) company, the [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee](/source/Democratic_Congressional_Campaign_Committee), as well as the [Vatican](/source/Holy_See).[10] *[The Times](/source/The_Times)* reported that an IP address at the BBC had made edits to Wikipedia.[11] The BBC's Head of Interactive News, [Pete Clifton](/source/Pete_Clifton) published a blog on August 16 acknowledging the earlier omission, but characterized the BBC's edits of Wikipedia in this manner: "Some of the examples are pretty unedifying, but for every dodgy one there are many, many more uncontroversial edits where people at the BBC have added information or changed a detail in good faith".[12]

The Associated Press reported on August 15, 2007, that computers owned by the [Church of Scientology](/source/Church_of_Scientology) had been used to remove criticism from articles about [Scientology](/source/Scientology) on Wikipedia, including edits to the article [Cult Awareness Network](/source/Cult_Awareness_Network). The Associated Press admitted that edits to Wikipedia had been made anonymously from its own computers, though the news organization did not describe the content of the edits.[13] In its story on WikiScanner, the *[New York Times](/source/New_York_Times)* too admitted that edits had been made from its own computers.[14] [Wired.com](/source/Wired_(magazine)) reported that the office of former Republican Senator [Conrad Burns](/source/Conrad_Burns) had also edited critical passages.[2]

According to Maltastar.com from August 16, WikiScanner has shown edits by other large organizations, including [Amnesty International](/source/Amnesty_International), [Apple Inc.](/source/Apple_Inc.), [ChevronTexaco](/source/ChevronTexaco), [Coca-Cola](/source/The_Coca-Cola_Company), the British [Conservative Party](/source/Conservative_Party_(UK)), [Dell](/source/Dell), [EA Games](/source/EA_Games), [ExxonMobil](/source/ExxonMobil), the [FBI](/source/FBI), *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)*, [Microsoft](/source/Microsoft), [MySpace](/source/MySpace), the [National Rifle Association of America](/source/National_Rifle_Association_of_America), [Nestlé](/source/Nestl%C3%A9), *[News of the World](/source/News_of_the_World)*, the *[New York Times](/source/New_York_Times)*, the [Government of Portugal](/source/Government_of_Portugal), the US [Republican Party](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)), [Reuters](/source/Reuters), [Sony](/source/Sony), the [United Nations](/source/United_Nations), [Walmart](/source/Walmart), and a dog breeding association.[15] The Canadian television network [CTV](/source/CTV_Television_Network) reported edits by other organizations including [Disney](/source/Disney) and the [Canadian government](/source/Government_of_Canada).[16]

Reuters reported that CIA computers were used to edit an article regarding the 2003 United States invasion of Iraq, including editing a chart showing casualties.[17] CIA computers also edited the article for former CIA chief William Colby.[17] Reuters reported that an FBI computer edited an article on the United States prison at Guantanamo Bay.[17]

On August 24, 2007, [headline](/source/Headline) reports in the [Australian](/source/Australia) [print](/source/Printing) and [electronic media](/source/Electronic_media) were made of anonymous edits to Wikipedia by staff in the [Australian Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet](/source/Department_of_the_Prime_Minister_%26_Cabinet_(Australia)) in order to remove potentially damaging details from articles related to the [Government](/source/Government_of_Australia). Information found using WikiScanner showed 126 anonymous edits from the department to articles on sometimes controversial issues and on government ministers.[18][19] The department responded by saying that [Prime Minister](/source/Prime_Minister_of_Australia) [John Howard](/source/John_Howard) did not direct his staff to modify the articles,[20] and later that day the head of the department said that the changes were not made by anyone in his department or the Prime Minister's office, but by another user with the same [Internet service provider](/source/Internet_service_provider).[21] Wikiscanner also identified [Australian Department of Defence](/source/Department_of_Defence_(Australia)) (DoD) employees as having made over 5,000 edits, prompting an unprecedented announcement from the DoD to block Defence staff from editing Wikipedia in case edits were interpreted as official comment.[22][23]

On August 26, 2007, *[The Boston Globe](/source/The_Boston_Globe)* published an editorial about Wikipedia, described as a "democratic fountain of facts" and related WikiScanner technology, reporting as among those companies found to have edited Wikipedia were [Pepsi](/source/Pepsi), [Wal-Mart](/source/Wal-Mart), [ExxonMobil](/source/ExxonMobil) and [Royal Dutch Shell](/source/Shell_plc), in which specific case "In 2005, someone using a computer inside Royal Dutch Shell, the oil company, rewrote a benign description of the company, claiming it is 'run by a group of geriatrics who find it impossible to make timely decisions and have an aversion to highly-profitable ventures.'"[24] The WikiScanner story was also covered by *[The Independent](/source/The_Independent)*, which stated that many "censorial interventions" by editors with vested interests on a variety of articles in Wikipedia had been discovered.[25]

On December 18, 2007, *[Fortune magazine](/source/Fortune_(magazine))* mentioned the use of WikiScanner in the 96th of its list of the "101 Dumbest Moments in Business", saying, "A *Washington Post* employee is found to have changed a reference to the owner of a rival paper from [Philip Anschutz](/source/Philip_Anschutz) to [Charles Manson](/source/Charles_Manson), while someone at *The New York Times* added the word 'jerk' 12 times to the entry on George W. Bush."[26]

During the period of May 27 to June 4, 2008, edits originating from an IP address belonging to [Industry Canada](/source/Industry_Canada) were made to the [Jim Prentice](/source/Jim_Prentice) (Federal [Minister of Industry](/source/Minister_of_Industry_(Canada))) article on Wikipedia. The edits included the removal of references to new copyright legislation and the addition of two passages about Prentice's recent accomplishments as Minister of Industry.[27][28]

## Wikipedia reaction

Wikipedia co-founder [Jimmy Wales](/source/Jimmy_Wales) spoke enthusiastically about WikiScanner, noting that "It brings an additional level of transparency to what's going on at Wikipedia"[13] and that it was "fabulous and I strongly support it."[29] The BBC quoted an unnamed Wikipedia spokesperson's praise for the tool in taking transparency "to another level" and preventing "an organisation or individuals from editing articles that they're really not supposed to."[10] In responding to the edits from the Canadian Ministry of Industry, spokesman for the [Wikimedia Foundation](/source/Wikimedia_Foundation) Jay Walsh noted that neutrality of language and guarding against conflicts of interest are two of the central pillars of Wikipedia, adding that "The edits which should be trusted would come from people who don't possess a conflict of interest, in this case, it would be worthwhile saying that if someone is making edits from a computer within the government of Canada … if it was someone within that ministry, that would theoretically constitute a conflict of interest."[30]

Wales speculated on a possible warning to anonymous editors: "When someone clicks on 'edit,' it would be interesting if we could say, 'Hi, thank you for editing. We see you're logged in from *The New York Times*. Keep in mind that we know that, and it's public information' … That might make them stop and think."[14]

## See also

- [Reliability of Wikipedia](/source/Reliability_of_Wikipedia)

- [Seigenthaler incident](/source/Seigenthaler_incident), one of several scandals involving anonymous hoaxes on Wikipedia

- [WHOIS](/source/WHOIS)

- [Wiki-Watch](/source/Wiki-Watch)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Biuso, Emily (December 9, 2007). ["Wikiscanning"](https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/09/magazine/09wikiscanning.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. Retrieved December 9, 2007. When Virgil Griffith, a 24-year-old [hacker](/source/Hacker_(computer_security)), heard reports that Congressional staff members had been caught altering Wikipedia for the benefit of their boss, he got to thinking of all the other kinds of spin occurring on the site.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Borland07_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Borland07_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Borland07_2-2) Borland, John (August 14, 2007). ["See Who's Editing Wikipedia - Diebold, the CIA, a Campaign"](https://www.wired.com/politics/onlinerights/news/2007/08/wiki_tracker?currentPage=all). *[Wired](/source/Wired_(magazine))*. Retrieved September 15, 2012.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FAQ_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FAQ_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FAQ_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-FAQ_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-FAQ_3-4) Griffith, Virgil. ["WikiScanner FAQ"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070830003427/http://virgil.gr/31.html). Archived from [the original](http://virgil.gr/31.html) on August 30, 2007. Retrieved August 18, 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["WikiScanner2 PreviewNew!"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100922011827/http://katrina.cs.caltech.edu/erenrich_rnd345/scanner_final/). Archived from [the original](http://katrina.cs.caltech.edu/erenrich_rnd345/scanner_final/) on September 22, 2010. Accessibility of WikiScanner can be checked on [the web page](http://wikiscanner.virgil.gr/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20120408180929/http://wikiscanner.virgil.gr/) April 8, 2012, at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-vgwp_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-vgwp_5-1) ["Virgil Griffith's WikiScanner Page"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160314095050/http://virgil.gr/wikiscanner/). Archived from [the original](http://virgil.gr/wikiscanner/) on March 14, 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Did Vatican alter Wikipedia info on Adams?"](http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/did-vatican-alter-wikipedia-info-on-adams-13467789.html). *Belfast Telegraph*. August 16, 2007. Retrieved May 18, 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Rules for Readers in the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070927122201/http://www.vaticanlibrary.vatlib.it/BAVT/info/vaticanlibraryfiles/rules.pdf) (PDF). Vatican Library. September 15, 2006. Archived from [the original](http://www.vaticanlibrary.vatlib.it/BAVT/info/vaticanlibraryfiles/rules.pdf) (PDF) on September 27, 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Wired_8-0)** Poulsen, Kevin (August 13, 2007). ["Vote On the Most Shameful Wikipedia Spin Jobs"](http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/08/vote-on-the-top.html). Wired blogs. Retrieved August 17, 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** *[The Colbert Report](/source/The_Colbert_Report)*. [Comedy Central](/source/Comedy_Central). August 21, 2007

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-BBC_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-BBC_10-1) Fildes, Jonathan (August 15, 2007). ["Wikipedia 'shows CIA page edits'"](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6947532.stm). BBC. Retrieved August 16, 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Times_11-0)** Blakely, Rhys. ["Exposed: guess who has been polishing their Wikipedia entries?"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090517025259/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article2264150.ece?token=null&offset=12). *[The Times](/source/The_Times)*. Archived from [the original](http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article2264150.ece) on May 17, 2009. Retrieved December 4, 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Clifton, Pete (August 16, 2007). ["Wikipedia edits"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2007/08/wikipedia_edits.html). BBC. Retrieved August 16, 2007.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-AP_13-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-AP_13-1) ["New online tool unmasks Wikipedia edits"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070929090635/http://creativemac.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=172757). Associated Press. August 15, 2007. Archived from [the original](http://creativemac.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=172757) on September 29, 2007. Retrieved August 16, 2007.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-NYT_14-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-NYT_14-1) [Hafner, Katie](/source/Katie_Hafner) (August 19, 2007). ["Seeing Corporate Fingerprints in Wikipedia Edits"](https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/19/technology/19wikipedia.html?ei=5124&en=786d0a243046f262&ex=1345262400&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink&pagewanted=print). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. Retrieved August 19, 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Student's program sends PR chaos in Wiki-scandal"](https://web.archive.org/web/20071225102900/http://www.maltastar.com/pages/msFullArt.asp?an=14323). Maltastar.com. August 16, 2007. Archived from [the original](http://www.maltastar.com/pages/msFullArt.asp?an=14323) on December 25, 2007. Retrieved August 19, 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Government computers linked to Wikipedia edits"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121021142305/http://www.ctvnews.ca/government-computers-linked-to-wikipedia-edits-1.252825). CTV. August 16, 2007. Archived from [the original](http://www.ctvnews.ca/government-computers-linked-to-wikipedia-edits-1.252825) on October 21, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2007.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_17-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_17-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_17-2) ["CIA and FBI computers used for Wikipedia edits"](https://www.reuters.com/article/oukin-uk-security-wikipedia-idUKN1642896020070816). *[Reuters](/source/Reuters)*. August 16, 2007. Retrieved January 27, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["PM's staff edited Wikipedia"](http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/08/23/1187462441687.html). *[Sydney Morning Herald](/source/Sydney_Morning_Herald)*. August 24, 2007. Retrieved August 25, 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** Moses, Asher (August 24, 2007). ["Government caught Wiki-watching"](http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/government-caught-wikiwatching/2007/08/23/1187462438744.html). *[The Age](/source/The_Age)*. Melbourne. Retrieved August 25, 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** ["PM 'not behind Wikipedia edits'"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070825064958/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/24/2013984.htm). [Australian Broadcasting Corporation](/source/Australian_Broadcasting_Corporation). August 24, 2007. Archived from [the original](http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/24/2013984.htm) on August 25, 2007. Retrieved August 25, 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** ["PM's Dept denies making Wikipedia changes"](https://web.archive.org/web/20071102105801/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/24/2014759.htm). [Australian Broadcasting Corporation](/source/Australian_Broadcasting_Corporation). August 24, 2007. Archived from [the original](http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/24/2014759.htm) on November 2, 2007. Retrieved August 25, 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** ["PM's staff edit Wikipedia entries"](http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22299568-911,00.html). *The Advertiser*. August 24, 2007. Retrieved August 24, 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** ["Defence blocks staff's Wikipedia access"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070825112814/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/24/2013756.htm). [Australian Broadcasting Corporation](/source/Australian_Broadcasting_Corporation). August 24, 2007. Archived from [the original](http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/24/2013756.htm) on August 25, 2007. Retrieved August 25, 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-24)** ["Behind the e-curtain"](http://archive.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2007/08/26/behind_the_e_curtain/). *The Boston Globe*. August 26, 2007. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110522193706/http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2007/08/26/behind_the_e_curtain/) from the original on May 22, 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-25)** Verkaik, Robert (August 18, 2007). ["Wikipedia and the art of censorship"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090109005336/http://news.independent.co.uk/sci_tech/article2874112.ece). *The Independent*. London. Archived from [the original](http://news.independent.co.uk/sci_tech/article2874112.ece) on January 9, 2009. Retrieved September 17, 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-26)** ["101 Dumbest Moments in Business - 96. WikiScanner"](https://web.archive.org/web/20071219132510/http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/fortune/0712/gallery.101_dumbest.fortune/96.html). *Fortune*. December 17, 2007. Archived from [the original](https://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/fortune/0712/gallery.101_dumbest.fortune/96.html) on December 19, 2007. Retrieved December 18, 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CBC1_27-0)** Nowak, Peter (June 4, 2008). ["Government buffing Prentice's Wikipedia entry"](https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/government-buffing-prentice-s-wikipedia-entry-1.703403). Canada: CBC News. Retrieved June 4, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Geist1_28-0)** Geist, Michael. ["Prentice's Staff Scrubbing Copyright Controversy From Wikipedia Entry"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120419082822/http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/2999/125/). michaelgeist.ca. Archived from [the original](http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/2999/125/) on April 19, 2012. Retrieved June 4, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-29)** Noyes, Katherine (August 15, 2007). ["New Tool Outs Would-Be Wikipedia Tricksters"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210120071127/https://www.technewsworld.com/story/58856.html). TechNewsWorld. Archived from [the original](http://www.technewsworld.com/story/58856.html) on January 20, 2021. Retrieved August 16, 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-wikimedia1_30-0)** Cheadle, Bruce (June 6, 2008). ["Copyright rewrite war rages on Prentice Wikipedia page"](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/copyright-rewrite-war-rages-on-prentice-wikipedia-page/article1055972/). *The Globe and Mail*. Ottawa. The Canadian Press. Retrieved October 9, 2010.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [WikiScanner](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:WikiScanner).

- [WikiScanner](https://web.archive.org/web/20160314095050/http://virgil.gr/wikiscanner/), Virgil Griffiths page about wikiscanner.

- [Listen](https://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0816/morningireland_av.html?2279827,null,209) to an [RTÉ](/source/RT%C3%89) news piece on WikiScanner (RealPlayer required).August 16, 2007

- [A new website unmasks Wikipedia's vandals](http://www.slate.com/id/2172703/nav/ais) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20070827174211/http://www.slate.com/id/2172703/nav/ais/) August 27, 2007, at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) - by Michael Agger, *[Slate.com](/source/Slate.com)*,August 24, 2007

- Verkaik, Robert (August 18, 2007). ["Wikipedia and the art of censorship"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070820145110/http://news.independent.co.uk/sci_tech/article2874112.ece). *The Independent*. London. Archived from [the original](http://news.independent.co.uk/sci_tech/article2874112.ece) on August 20, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2007.

- [How the Wikipedia Scanner Works](http://computer.howstuffworks.com/wikipedia-scanner.htm) on [howstuffworks.com](/source/Howstuffworks.com)

- ["Users' traffic data on all WIki projects"](http://wikiscan.org). *wikiscan.org*. – similar current site.

v t e Conflict-of-interest editing on Wikipedia Incidents Commercial Indian Institute of Planning and Management / Wifione MyWikiBiz Operation Orangemoody Portland Communications Sony Pictures Sunshine Sachs WikiExperts Wiki-PR Political Bell Pottinger Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America Saskatoon Police Service US congressional staff Other Church of Scientology Reporting tools CongressEdits WikiScanner Related Linkspam Reputation management Search engine optimization

v t e Wikipedia Overview (outline) Biases gender geographical ideological racial Censorship Conflict-of-interest editing political editing incidents Criticism Deletion of articles deletionism and inclusionism notability Disputes "Ignore all rules" MediaWiki Plagiarism Predictions of the project's end Reliability Fact-checking Citation needed Perennial sources list Vandalism Community (Wikipedians) Administrators AfroCrowd Arbitration Committee Art+Feminism Bots Lsjbot Edit count List of Wikipedias The Signpost Wikimedian of the Year Wikipedian in residence WikiProject Women in Red Events Edit-a-thon WikiConference India Wiki Indaba WikiConference North America Wikimania Wiki Loves Earth Folklore Monuments Pride Science People (list) Esra'a Al Shafei Lee Daniel Crocker Florence Devouard Sue Gardner David Gerard James Heilman Maryana Iskander Dariusz Jemielniak Rebecca MacKinnon Katherine Maher Magnus Manske Bernadette Meehan Erik Möller Jason Moore Raju Narisetti Steven Pruitt Annie Rauwerda Larry Sanger Seedfeeder María Sefidari Lisa Seitz-Gruwell Rosie Stephenson-Goodknight Lila Tretikov Jimmy Wales Molly White History Bomis Nupedia First edit Logo Internet Watch Foundation Scientology Hillsborough disaster Wikipedia posts VisualEditor #1Lib1Ref Wikimedia Foundation actions on the Chinese Wikipedia (2021) against MENA Wikipedians (2022) Timeline of Wikipedia–U.S. government conflicts Controversies Alan MacMasters hoax Antisemitism on Wikipedia Asian News International v. Wikimedia Foundation Brazilian aardvark Carlos Bandeirense Mirandópolis hoax Edit wars Essjay controversy Henryk Batuta hoax Jar'Edo Wens hoax Operation Orangemoody Seigenthaler biography incident Star Trek Into Darkness debate United States congressional staff edits Weintraub controversy Zhemao hoaxes Coverage American politics Donald Trump COVID-19 pandemic Death Israeli–Palestinian conflict Russo-Ukrainian war Honors Wikipedia Monument 274301 Wikipedia Viola angustifolia References and analysis Academic studies Bibliography Cultural Films Listen to Wikipedia Wikipediocracy Wikipedia philosophy phenomenon Mobile Apps QRpedia Wapedia Wikipedia Zero WikiReader Wikiwand Content use DBpedia Depths of Wikipedia Google and Wikipedia Health information Kiwix Science information Wikipedia-based education Wiki Education Foundation Related Artificial intelligence CheckUser The Iraq War: A Historiography of Wikipedia Changelogs LGBTQ and Wikipedia Magna Carta (An Embroidery) People imprisoned for editing Wikipedia Belarus Print Wikipedia The Seven Rules of Trust Wiki rabbit hole Wikimedia Foundation Wikimedia movement Wikipedia for World Heritage Wikipedia in India Wikipedia mascots Wikipedia: The Text Adventure Wikigacha Wikiracing List of online encyclopedias List of wikis List Category

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [WikiScanner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WikiScanner) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WikiScanner?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.