First-Person Accounts: Wikipedia’s Impact

Did Wikipedia distort the truth about COVID’s origins? In this interview, science writer Matt Ridley reveals how Wikipedia editors suppressed debate around the lab leak theory, shaping public perception and silencing dissent. Ridley argues that a small group of editors imposed their views, labelling legitimate scientific questions as “conspiracy theories” — despite mounting evidence pointing to a possible lab accident in Wuhan, China. 🔍 Topics covered: • Wikipedia’s extended protection and editorial control • COVID-19 lab leak theory and media bias • Anti-Chinese sentiment and censorship concerns • The impact on the marketplace of ideas • Why open debate matters more than ever Subscribe to https://npov.substack.com/ for more in depth reports on the Wikipedia Crisis. NPOV (Neutral Point of View) is a media outlet and investigative platform dedicated to exposing covert manipulation campaigns that distort the internet’s information infrastructure. NPOV is uncovering corruption inside Wikipedia, search engines, and AI systems — the platforms now responsible for shaping reputations, influencing purchasing decisions, and guiding political discourse. NPOV was founded in 2025 by investigative journalist Ashley Rindsberg, whose reporting has helped shape global conversations about media integrity, censorship, and narrative warfare. Subscribe on Substack: https://npov.substack.com/ Follow on X @npovmedia Follow on Instagram @npovmedia

In this deeply revealing interview Larry Sanger — co-founder of Wikipedia — unveils to Ashley Rindsberg his “Nine Theses” for reforming what he sees as deep structural, ideological, and governance problems at the world’s largest online encyclopedia. From bias in consensus decision-making, to anonymous editorial leadership, to blocked sources and unfair blocking of editors, Sanger outlines specific proposals to bring transparency, neutrality, and accountability back to Wikipedia. We discuss: The origin and metaphor behind the “Theses” framing. How Wikipedia’s “perennial sources” blacklist works, and its effects. The anonymity of the “Power 62” users and its risks. Sanger’s proposals for accountability, transparency, and structural overhaul. The role of the Wikimedia Foundation and whether it should intervene. ⚠️ Why it matters: Wikipedia content doesn’t just stay on Wikipedia. It feeds AI models, search engines, education, media. Public trust in free knowledge depends on its legitimacy. These reforms are not just internal policy tweaks; they aim to protect the integrity of shared knowledge. Subscribe to https://npov.substack.com/ for more in depth reports on the Wikipedia Crisis. NPOV (Neutral Point of View) is a media outlet and investigative platform dedicated to exposing covert manipulation campaigns that distort the internet’s information infrastructure. NPOV is uncovering corruption inside Wikipedia, search engines, and AI systems — the platforms now responsible for shaping reputations, influencing purchasing decisions, and guiding political discourse. NPOV was founded in 2025 by investigative journalist Ashley Rindsberg, whose reporting has helped shape global conversations about media integrity, censorship, and narrative warfare. Subscribe on Substack: https://npov.substack.com/ Follow on X @npovmedia Follow on Instagram @npovmedia Follow Ashley on X- @AshleyRindsberg

Andy Ngo talks to Ashley Rindsberg about how Wikipedia shaped and distorted his public reputation. In this interview Andy explains how a high-profile 2019 attack in Portland triggered a coordinated online smear campaign, how those attacks were quickly laundered into a Wikipedia article, and why that single page still affects who will book him, who will listen, and how the public perceives his reporting. This interview covers Wikipedia bias, edit wars, and the real-world consequences of a single Wikipedia entry. It also explores how editors, anonymous sources, and partisan outlets can weaponize Wikipedia citations so they show up first on Google and even feed AI summaries. We discuss: -Origins of the smear — how the 2019 Portland attack made Andy a national name and then a target. -Coordinated media hits — how online writers and left-leaning publications published anonymous, spurious claims that were used as citations. -Wikipedia as amplifier — the mechanics of how biased articles get written, cited, and recycled into other stories and Google/AI summaries. -Double standards and sourcing — why Andy argues left-side opinion pieces get treated as “evidence” while other sources are discounted. Subscribe to https://npov.substack.com/ for more in depth reports on the Wikipedia Crisis. NPOV (Neutral Point of View) is a media outlet and investigative platform dedicated to exposing covert manipulation campaigns that distort the internet’s information infrastructure. NPOV is uncovering corruption inside Wikipedia, search engines, and AI systems — the platforms now responsible for shaping reputations, influencing purchasing decisions, and guiding political discourse. NPOV was founded in 2025 by investigative journalist Ashley Rindsberg, whose reporting has helped shape global conversations about media integrity, censorship, and narrative warfare. Subscribe on Substack: https://npov.substack.com/ Follow on X @npovmedia Follow on Instagram @npovmedia