Washington (AFP)
Wikipedia on Tuesday unveiled a "universal code of conduct" aimed at curbing misinformation, abuse and manipulation on the famous online encyclopedia.
This new code was published by the Wikimedia Foundation, which manages Wikipedia.
It expands existing policies to create standards combating "negative behavior," according to a statement.
This is about countering efforts to distort and manipulate content on Wikipedia, the largest online encyclopedia, largely run by volunteers.
"Our new universal code of conduct was developed for the new internet age because we want our contributor communities to be a positive, safe and healthy environment for everyone," said Katherine Maher, patron of the foundation.
"This code will be a binding document for anyone participating in our projects," she added.
The 1,600-word text was developed with the help of some 1,500 Wikipedia volunteers representing five continents and 30 languages, and includes clear definitions of harassment and unacceptable behavior.
It aims to prevent any abuse of power and influence with the aim of intimidating, as well as the deliberate introduction on the platform of false or incorrect content.
Wikipedia celebrated its twentieth anniversary on January 15th.
It is one of the top 15 websites in the world, with an estimated 1.7 billion monthly visitors.
The adoption of the code comes amid growing pressure on internet platforms to contain campaigns of manipulation and disinformation, which can be used for political ends or to promote discord and violence.
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