Wikipedia Bans Church of Scientology • The Register

Wikipedia bans Church of Scientology • The Register: "In an unprecedented effort to crack down on self-serving edits, the Wikipedia supreme court has banned contributions from all IP addresses owned or operated by the Church of Scientology and its associates.

Closing out the longest-running court case in Wikiland history, the site’s Arbitration Committee voted 10 to 0 (with one abstention) in favor of the move, which takes effect immediately.

[...] This is the fourth Scientology-related Wikicourtcase in as many years, and in addition to an outright ban on Scientology IPs, the court has barred a host of anti-Scientology editors from editing topics related to the Church.

Many Wikifiddlers have vehemently criticized this sweeping crackdown. Historically, the site's cult-like inner circle has aspired to some sort of Web 2.0 utopia in which everyone has an unfettered voice. An organization editing Wikipedia articles where it has a conflict of interest is hardly unusual, and in the past such behavior typically went unpunished."

Germany's Battle Against Scientology - TIME

Germany's Battle Against Scientology - TIME: "bringing the full weight of the Federal government to bear on an organization that officials say has only 6,000 members in Germany would be seen as a disproportionate response given the political cost — Germany has been criticized by the U.S. State Department for restrictions it already places on Scientology. As one official put it, 'We have other things to worry about.'"