The internet is a very important tool for finding and using information, and nowhere is that more apparent than with Wikipedia. The online encyclopedia is full of valuable information, but sometimes you might not want that information on there. Do you have any recourse if you want to remove any negative information about you or your brand on Wikipedia?
For the most part, the answer to this question is, “No.” But, of course, there are certain loopholes. Microsoft accidentally asked Google and Wikipedia to remove information about its own Microsoft Office 2007 product earlier this year. Of course, the nature of copyright law doesn’t exactly work that way, and Microsoft’s subsidiary arm, LeakID, was responsible for the unnecessary takedown request. Even if Microsoft had wanted to get that information off of Wikipedia, they likely would not have been able to.
The Permanence of Established Facts
Wikipedia occasionally runs in to problems with vandals ruining entire pages with falsities, but that incidence of that actually happening is relatively low. For the most part, the information on most Wikipedia pages is notably factual. As long as the editor question used information from a reliable source and they wrote the article in a neutral tone, then it’s very difficult to remove information.
For instance, there’s not much that Microsoft could have removed about their Microsoft Office 2007 product unless there were blatant lies on the page. The information in the article appeared to be 100% accurate or, at least, not libelous in anyway and Microsoft did not have any real reason to ask for it to be removed.
But, even a Wikipedia writer for hire or a professional editor couldn’t remove certain information. For instance, let’s imagine that certain versions of Microsoft Office 2007 had been putting viruses onto people’s computers. To be clear, this is not true, at all. But, if it were true, Microsoft would probably not want that information to make it to the general public. As long as the information was properly sourced and written in an unbiased way, then there’s nothing that Microsoft could do.
An Unfair Representation
One way that you can tip the scales back in your favor is by writing positive things about you or your brand. Obviously, you would need a Wikipedia writer for hire to do this to avoid any conflicts of interest, but it’s an important step to take. Sometimes, Wikipedia pages have lopsided information about a person or an entity that isn’t representative of the full story.
For instance, if the hypothetical and completely imaginary Microsoft Office 2007 virus took up most of the content of its own article, then Microsoft (or anyone else) would be well within their rights to add more positive content. Information about the functionality of the service, the wide range of use, and other positive attributes could be added as long as they were true and sourced correctly.
Of course, in many cases, outright lies can be deleted immediately without fear of repercussion. Sometimes, hoaxes and falsities slip through the cracks, but, for the most part, Wikipedia is good about excising them from the database.
by Michael Wood – Michael Wood is an online marketing expert and owner of Legalmorning.com. He specializes in reputation and brand management, article writing, and professional Wikipedia editing. He is an expert Wikipedia editor and has helped hundreds of businesses and people post their articles to the site where they have otherwise failed. He is a regular contributor to many online publications including AllBusiness Experts, Yahoo, Business Insider, and Social Media Today.