Changes

==Engagement with the Wikimedia Foundation==

==Engagement with the Wikimedia Foundation==

Kohs was a pioneer in thinking about Wikipedia as a factual platform that could also address reputation management.  In conversations with Jimmy Wales about the MyWikiBiz enterprise, the two agreed that if Kohs posted proposed Wikipedia text on his own MyWikiBiz website (under a free license compatible with Wikipedia), other editors could be encouraged -- upon review -- to copy said content into Wikipedia articles.  Both men [https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2006-August/051897.html publicly agreed] that this activity would be within Wikipedia's standards of conduct.  Within months, Wales changed his mind and "banned" Kohs permanently across the English Wikipedia project, which was an action outside the normal disciplinary regimen, without notice or due process.  This action set Kohs into motion executing an ongoing campaign to investigate malfeasance and poor governance on Wikipedia and within the Wikimedia Foundation.  He co-founded a Wikipedia criticism forum called Wikipediocracy.com.

Kohs was a pioneer in thinking about Wikipedia as a factual platform that could also address reputation management.  In conversations with Jimmy Wales about the MyWikiBiz enterprise, the two agreed that if Kohs posted proposed Wikipedia text on his own MyWikiBiz website (under a free license compatible with Wikipedia), other editors could be encouraged—upon review—to copy said content into Wikipedia articles.  Both men [https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2006-August/051897.html publicly agreed] that this activity would be within Wikipedia's standards of conduct.  Within months, Wales changed his mind and "banned" Kohs permanently across the English Wikipedia project, which was an action outside the normal disciplinary regimen, without notice or due process.  This action set Kohs into motion executing an ongoing campaign to investigate malfeasance and poor governance on Wikipedia and within the Wikimedia Foundation.  He co-founded a Wikipedia criticism forum called Wikipediocracy.com.

As one example, Kohs proposed a panel discussion about paid Wikipedia editing for the 2014 WikiConference USA, purchasing his conference registration and a train ticket to travel to New York City.  On the eve of the conference, though, he was [http://wikipediocracy.com/2014/06/02/wikiconference-usa-bans-critic-from-open-meeting/ suddenly uninvited] by conference organizers, without giving any detailed explanation.  Similarly in 2015, the WikiConference USA was held at the National Archives in [[Washington, DC]] as an event that was open to the public, and the marketing materials specifically said that skeptics were invited to participate.  Again, Kohs attempted to attend, but his registration was refused without explanation.  Kohs had submitted a membership dues check to Wikimedia DC, the local chapter that co-sponsored the WikiConference, but it was then returned.  [[Freedom of Information Act]] (FOIA) materials obtained by Kohs demonstrated that conference organizers had [http://wikipediocracy.com/2016/06/16/diversity-conference-at-national-archives-not-so-open/ specifically violated guidelines] laid down for them by National Archives staff, by not sharing a list of event-banned individuals for review by Archives staff.

As one example, Kohs proposed a panel discussion about paid Wikipedia editing for the 2014 WikiConference USA, purchasing his conference registration and a train ticket to travel to New York City.  On the eve of the conference, though, he was [http://wikipediocracy.com/2014/06/02/wikiconference-usa-bans-critic-from-open-meeting/ suddenly uninvited] by conference organizers, without giving any detailed explanation.  Similarly in 2015, the WikiConference USA was held at the National Archives in [[Washington, DC]] as an event that was open to the public, and the marketing materials specifically said that skeptics were invited to participate.  Again, Kohs attempted to attend, but his registration was refused without explanation.  Kohs had submitted a membership dues check to Wikimedia DC, the local chapter that co-sponsored the WikiConference, but it was then returned.  [[Freedom of Information Act]] (FOIA) materials obtained by Kohs demonstrated that conference organizers had [http://wikipediocracy.com/2016/06/16/diversity-conference-at-national-archives-not-so-open/ specifically violated guidelines] laid down for them by National Archives staff, by not sharing a list of event-banned individuals for review by Archives staff.