Week10 - I read Chapter 1 again Nazis and Norms - Jo HyeonSeong (조현성)

 1. Summarize in my your own words of materials that I read


 "Nazis and Norms," ​​shows that Wikipedia is not just an encyclopedia, but a unique community of diverse people working together in good faith and civility. Using the 2005 incident where white supremacists attempted to intervene in an organized manner to prevent the deletion of a specific article, Reagle analyzes how Wikipedia's norms and community respond to extreme opinions. In the process, the term "Nazi" and Godwin's Law, which frequently appear in online discussions, are mentioned, and the culture of Wikipedia is emphasized to discourage such expressions. Ultimately, this chapter shows that Wikipedia is not only a space for sharing information, but also an experiment in the possibilities of online collaboration and democratic discussion.


2. Mention of any new, interesting, or unusual items that I learned through lecture.

  • The Duality of Anonymity and Politeness

 The fact that far-right users have tried to maintain a polite attitude by strictly following Wikipedia’s norms shows that they strategically ‘use’ the norms rather than avoid them. Politeness can be a moral stance, but it is also interesting that it can be used as a tool to approach the community.

  • The Illusion or Practice of “Neutrality”

I think the fact that extremists have tried to exploit Wikipedia’s policy of “neutral point of view (NPOV)” shows that the concept of neutrality is not an absolute but rather a norm that is open to interpretation. It is interesting to see who decides what neutrality is within neutrality and how it cannot be absolute.


3. Identify at least one question, concern, or discussion angle that is either problematic in some respect or could have been elaborated more.

  1.  Is the “assumption of good faith” a realistically tenable principle in running an online community?
  2. Whose perspective is defined as the neutral point of view (NPOV)? Can it be said neutral?
  3. Is civility a criterion of community participation or a disguised means of power?

Comments

  1. Lee JaehyunMay 15, 2025 at 10:49 PM

    I think that Wikipedia’s principles like neutral point of view and assume good faith are essential for maintaining constructive collaboration. It’s interesting how even extremist users adopt civility and norms, showing the strong influence of community rules. This highlights how digital platforms can guide behavior through shared expectations.

    However, these ideals are not without problems. Civility can be weaponized, and assuming good faith may leave communities vulnerable to manipulation. Neutrality itself is often shaped by dominant perspectives. These tensions show that while Wikipedia’s values are admirable, they require constant vigilance, interpretation, and ethical reflection to remain effective.

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