Hiltzik Makes Wikipedia “Sock Puppet” Entry
Michael Hiltzik earns a mention in the Wikipedia entry for “sock puppet”:
“Sock Puppet” is also an internet/weblog term for an anonymous alias duplicitously used in the comment section by someone who is better known by another name. For example, L.A. Times Columnist Michael Hiltzik came under fire in April 2006 when it was revealed that he was anonymously posting under the “sock puppet” name of “Mikekoshi”, and possibly “Nofanofcablecos”, to attack those critical of his writings.[2] He did this both on the blogs of his critics, and even on his own blog in response to hostile commenters.
I quote it here for posterity’s sake, because Wikipedia fame is fleeting: here today, gone today (one second later).
UPDATE: Gone!
No chance of hime having penned that entry. Although had he done so, the irony meter would be pegged.
Comment by pigilito — 6/15/2006 @ 2:47 am
Gone now, thanks to me. It did last many hours though. It doesn’t belong in that entry. It does, however, belong in this one, and you’ll be happy to know it’s there for now:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sock_puppet_%28internet%29#Examples
Cheers,
Holmwood
Comment by Holmwood — 6/15/2006 @ 3:55 am
Dear Mr Holmwood:
Your entry is incomplete; you need to include the repercussions.
Comment by Dana — 6/15/2006 @ 5:37 am
anybody can write or edit a wiki, can’t they?
Comment by assistant devil's advocate — 6/15/2006 @ 12:00 pm
I made a slight change to the entry to incorporate Dana’s suggestion above. It now reads: “L.A. Times Columnist Michael Hiltzik, who was forced to give up his column and Times blog in April 2006. . . .” I hope that meet’s everyone’s satisfaction.
Comment by JVW — 6/15/2006 @ 1:00 pm
Whoops. Gratuitous apostrophe in “meets.”
Comment by JVW — 6/15/2006 @ 1:02 pm
Wrong sock puppet entry. This one is for real puppets made from socks. Try this entry, instead. Mikey’s in there, all right.
Comment by Xrlq — 6/15/2006 @ 1:26 pm
Thanks Dana and JVW. Good spot, and good addition. One might say that a wikipedia entry is by definition never complete; my goal was simply to move the original entry to the right article, and, for a broader perspective, add the John Lott example.
Assistant Devils Advocate: Yes, anyone who’s not been banned can create, add to or edit Wikipedia articles. (recent exception: some controversial articles can’t be edited by anonymous/very new editors). As for wikis in general, some are closed, some are fully open, some are in-between.
Holmwood
Comment by Holmwood — 6/17/2006 @ 6:39 pm