While I was browsing the internet, I began to realize that more and more search engines are putting the Wikipedia entries for the searched terms at or near the top of the list. This, combined with the rapidly growing popularity of Wikipedia, creates the possibility — in my mind, at least — for a tremendous Orwellian system of information manipulation.
Political campaigns and practical jokers have already demonstrated that false information can be introduced into Wikipedia, and can remain there for a significant amount of time. So what happens when Wikipedia is becoming more and more of a centralized repository for information? There will be tremendous political advantage to be had in manipulating the information contained therein. And so, like so many democracies over the ages, totalitarianism will become too tempting, and right beneath our noses, Wikipedia will turn into the Orwellian Ministry of Truth: a center for disinformation, benefiting whichever candidate happens to be at the forefront at the time.
I’m aware that this is hardly likely, and that it’s an awfully paranoid thing to say, but as always, it’s just food for thought.
