‘A difficult line’: meet the editors tackling Wikipedia’s arms trade pages

Around two dozen volunteers gathered in central London for a Wikipedia editing event focused on arms companies and projects, including Palantir, Project Maven and Nitro-Chem. Organisers want to make reliable information about the industry easier to find, while following Wikipedia’s rules and avoiding advocacy.

The monthly “wikithon” brings together experienced editors and newcomers, who are trained to use existing published sources and avoid original research or drawing conclusions. Organisers say the effort also responds to gaps in Wikipedia’s coverage and the lack of diversity among its editors; previous events in Manchester and London have attracted more than 60 participants at a time.