DeepSummary
Paul Finsale interviews Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia, on his podcast Conduit Conversations. They discuss the beginnings of Wikipedia, how it differs from traditional encyclopedias, and its role in combating misinformation. Jimmy explains how Wikipedia's open editing model and community-driven fact-checking helps ensure accuracy and balance.
They explore the challenges social media platforms face in moderating content while respecting free speech. Jimmy advocates for more transparency from platforms about their ad targeting and funding sources to enable public scrutiny. He also suggests ways to integrate citizen fact-checking into journalism to reduce costs.
The conversation touches on the spread of misinformation during events like Brexit and the 2016 US election, and how transparent data on ad funding and targeting could help expose manipulation attempts. Jimmy emphasizes the need to bring people together for thoughtful discussions across divisions to overcome current societal rifts.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Wikipedia's open editing model and community fact-checking helps ensure accuracy and balance.
- Social media platforms face challenges balancing content moderation with free speech.
- Greater transparency is needed around ad funding sources and targeting on social media.
- Integrating citizen fact-checking could reduce costs for journalism while maintaining depth.
- Transparent data on ad targeting and funding could help expose misinformation and manipulation.
- Cross-division dialogue and understanding different perspectives is key to overcoming societal rifts.
- While skeptical, Jimmy Wales hopes society can find ways to enable open, thoughtful discussions.
- Wikipedia aimed to recognize expertise is more widely distributed than traditionally assumed.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “I don't think we can hold Facebook responsible for that at that level. On the other hand, they could be held responsible for things like hosting it in the long term if it's threats of violence, for example, or if it's, you know, actual crimes being committed.“ by Jimmy Wales
- “It should be actually to say, we won't accept funding from organizations, we won't sell ads to organizations who do not reveal. Very detailed, and they can have a set standard.“ by Jimmy Wales
- “I saw there were ads here in the UK, vegan ads, pro Brexit, vegan ads saying, finally, if we get rid of all those EU rules, we can pass pro vegan laws in the UK. Well, I'm sure you could make the equally case like, we're going to bring back fox hunting if we didn't have the EU.“ by Jimmy Wales
- “But I don't know if we will. I hope we will.“ by Jimmy Wales
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Episode Information
Conduit Conversations
Soho.Live Studios
6/16/19