MakeUseOf doesn't exist any more, at least according to Wikipedia. Neither does The Next Web for that matter. Wikipedia has recently deleted the entries for both websites for being "non-notable entities". And several other high-profile websites are also facing the chop.
According to the infamous online encyclopedia, MakeUseOf is no longer deserving of its own Wikipedia page. This despite the fact we've been online for 10 years, have millions of readers, and are currently ranked the 811th most popular website in the world according to Alexa.
MakeUseOf has also had its articles cited by countless other websites, plus organizations, institutions, schools, and universities over the years. All of which would suggest it's notable enough to deserve its own Wikipedia entry. But no, Wikipedia disagrees.
MakeUseOf was exorcised from Wikipedia's database on October 19, 2016. The Next Web was removed a few days earlier on October 13th. AnandTech and Android Central are among those currently being considered for deletion, with Wikipedia editors busy discussing the validity of their entries.
Most of these websites, including MakeUseOf, are being targeted by a single Wikipedia editor called Light2021. Their profile suggests they are on a personal mission to rid Wikipedia of any technology site or startup which doesn't fit their arbitrary idea of what belongs in an online encyclopedia.
MakeUseOf Responds to the Purge
Wikipedia has not responded to our request for comment. However, Ryan Dube, the managing editor of MakeUseOf, offered his own commentary on current events, saying:
"I get the sense that Wikipedia is attempting to do some kind of purge of entries focused around blogs. However, it seems that the deletions are being carried out without very much research."
"MakeUseOf has been mentioned countless times over the years in academic and even official government websites as a notable source for valuable, technical knowledge and information."
"Whether or not Wikipedia is right or wrong in its judgement of MakeUseOf's 'notoriety' is irrelevant. We already know the impact we're having. I'm confident Wikipedia will eventually catch up with the rest of the world in figuring that out as well."
Dube also offered several examples of our notoriety, including PC Magazine's 2011 List of Undiscovered Websites, a Foundora interview with Aibek Esengulov, and the Alaska State Library's nod to us as a valuable resource when researching Google Forms.
How Do You Feel About This?
Wikipedia is huge, with over 5 million articles currently jostling for position. Therefore, its editors are constantly looking for articles to delete. And that's their right. However, it seems that this purge is being driven by the bias of certain editors. And that doesn't serve anyone concerned, least of all the legion of people who use Wikipedia to learn new things.
What do you think of Wikipedia deleting MakeUseOf from its database? Do you agree with us that we're notable enough to justify inclusion? Or do you agree with Wikipedia's rushed assessment that our face no longer fits? Please let us know in the comments below!
Oh, and here is Wikipedia's Contact Us page, just in case that's of interest to any of you.
Image Credit: Ervins Strauhmanis via Flickr