UnNews:Uncyclopedia author found to have false credentials
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This article is part of UnNews, your source for up-to-the-picosecond misinformation. |
6 September 2007
THE INTERNET Satire website Uncyclopedia has been rocked by accusations that one writer has falsified his credentials for posting entries. The user, identified only as EdTUSLEN23, was given posting privileges by Uncyclopedia administrators August 27th, and soon proved he did not have any qualifications for these abilities. "Quite simply, he claimed he could write humorous satire. As it now is obvious, he lied in this respect. We are dealing with this in the best way we can," said an Uncyclopedia administrator who wished to remain anonymous due to his involvement with the scandal.
The scandal primarily regards the page for the state of Idaho, which "EdTUSLEN23" edited heavily from its original state. He included many facts about Idaho, including the state capital, and even removed the "state anime," noting in the edit history that no such thing existed.[1] Unfortunately, no Uncyc members caught the gaffe, allowing the correct information to linger on the page for days. Journalist James Fuller, UPI's reporter stationed in the internet, happened upon the page unknowingly. "When I realized the capital of Idaho is indeed Boise, I knew I was onto something big," said Fuller. "I knew I had a huge story right from the start." As soon as UPI put the story up for publication, it was picked up by over 20 major news outlets, such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. The story soon appeared on the front pages of these publications, even eclipsing the Larry Craig scandal.
After the allegations saw their first ink, critics rose up and have begun to ask questions. "I used to respect Uncyclopedia," said Ben Morrison, a Misinformation Specialist at the Topeka Institute of Prose and Satire. "However, after this, we have to ask ourselves how deep this goes. Could the Administrators knowingly have let this fellow spread truth? Or, even worse, could they be doing so themselves?" Uncyclopedia's reputation has indeed taken a dive, and many are turning to alternative satire websites for "news."
"The user in question has been neutralized for the good of the site," states the anonymous Uncyclopedia administrator. "This web hub stands for satire! humor! penis jokes! There is no room for Ed, or his TUSLEN, on this wiki." Indeed, a majority of users support the administrator's authoritarian actions. According to one user: "EdTUSLEN23 was a n00btard!"
Despite the bad press and accusations, Uncyclopedia still remains an active platform for online satirists who are "much smarter than some people" and generally consider themselves "too cool for blogs". In addition, it is still a more reputable source than Wikipedia.
Notes[edit | edit source]
- ↑ It is interesting to note that EdTUSLEN23 was incorrect himself in this action; Idaho does in fact have an officially recognized state anime program. Creators of Kaga Shin Moto Ikkibu plan on pursuing a slander charge. They will likely lose this suit however, as slander only extends to spoken statements. It is assumed that the creators meant to file a liable suit.