Wikipedia policy presumes all images are copyright infringements unless proven otherwise, and despite a clear lack of consensus behind that policy, many Wikipedia administrators enforce it more aggressively than any other policy. One administrator goes so far as to have any images lacking a meticulous and long-winded “use rationale” axed via automated bot. He wears the controversy surrounding his bot proudly, like a badge of honor, and dismisses complaints with a casual “RTFP” attitude.

And never mind that the more editorial control a site’s administrators exercise, the easier it is for copyright plaintiffs to defeat a DMCA Safe Harbor defense. The safe harbor is for neutral service providers who do not exercise editorial control of content. Every time Wikipedia administrators meddle with user contributions, even to advance the cause of copyright expansionism, they’re drifting further and further away from that safe harbor.

I, myself, gladly provide the meticulous and long-winded “use rationales” the policies require. At the same time, I am equally glad to point out just how much time I waste doing so, when I could be adding quality encyclopedic information rather than unnecessary, counter-productive mumbo jumbo, that, if anything, makes Wikipedia an easier target for copyright lawsuits. And I am even more glad to point out just how much valuable information has been pointlessly severed from the encyclopedia, despite being obvious fair uses, because administrators casually, even automatically, axe content, but can’t be bothered to create a similar bot to provide those obvious fair use rationales.

“… deleted in 22 minutes … by Chad Horohoe, a 19-year-old Wikipedia administrator…”

a bit amusing and scary at the same time?

I know that a 19 year old is not a “kid” per se, but at the same time, can be, and in this case shown to be, a bit behind, when it comes to being able to decide what is good for a comunity or not.

While I do not feel that a organization should run by “elders”, and that new blood can help an organization, whether it be a company or a online site like Wiki, but at the same time there are many cases like this where a younger person goes on power trips and shoots off making decisions, not based on experience.

I mean lets face it, if a realitively “newbee” person is going out deleting enteries by the founder, something is really wrong. Sure this is at an online comunity, but in any other real-world situation, this “kid” would have been seveirely repremanded for what he did.

just my two cents