Just like how Wikipedia allows Big Pharma to control the health narrative across its platform, Wikipedia is also allowing this opponent of Donald Trump to use the Google-promoted platform as a marketing mechanism for trying to seize the presidency this fall.
Even though using Wikipedia for such purposes is a clear violation of the site's official "Terms of Use," Yang has apparently been given a free pass to flagrantly abuse the system by shamelessly promoting himself on it.
Yang himself isn't the one doing it, of course. That job was reportedly contracted out to Katie Bloom, the former Marketing Manager at Yang's "non-profit" group "Venture for America," from which he resigned back in 2017.
According to reports, Bloom, who's currently listed as a paid contractor for Yang's presidential campaign committee, used her real name to create Yang's official Wikipedia page, which appeared just a few weeks after Trump was sworn in back in 2017.
"Yang's bio initially resembled a puff piece or resume as it relied mainly on Yang and his non-profit as sources for content, largely listing Yang's accomplishments and his media profile," writes T.D. Adler for Breitbart News.
"The page also cited other sources generally not considered reliable on Wikipedia and included details not contained in any of the cited sources, a violation of Wikipedia policy ... Under Wikipedia's Terms of Use paid editing is only permitted so long as editors prominently disclose their employer."
Dredged-up archives of Venture for America's staff page reveal that Bloom was, in fact, the group's Marketing Manager at the time Yang's Wikipedia promotional page was created. But no mention of Bloom's affiliation was included in the entry, an undeniable violation of Wikipedia's Terms of Use.
Even though Yang had not yet announced that he was running for president at the time when Bloom created his Wikipedia page, his official announcement came about two months later, suggesting that the whole thing was timed specifically for the purpose of promoting his presidential campaign.
"His resignation (from Venture for America) took effect in September and he launched his campaign two months later," Adler further explains about the timeline of Yang's Wikipedia page appearing and his soon-after announcement about running for president.
"Bloom was subsequently paid as a contractor for Yang's presidential campaign committee that year, where she was listed as having received nearly $2,000 for writing services."
Adler tried to reach out to both Bloom and Yang's campaign, only to receive silence in response. Meanwhile, Venture for America issued an official statement claiming that Bloom had created Yang's Wikipedia page:
"... as part of her duties as Marketing Manager in order to provide information on Mr. Yang, who, at the time, was increasingly undertaking numerous speaking engagements as VFA's CEO. The page was created and last edited by Ms. Bloom in February 2017, prior to and without consideration of Mr. Yang's decision to leave VFA in September 2017 or his subsequent run for public office."
This is more than likely a lie, seeing as how it's common for both public personalities and corporations to create customized Wikipedia articles just prior to a new product release – or in Yang's case, just prior to his announcement that he would be running for president.
"Wikipedia is a bunch of snowflake editors and self-aggrandizing authors," wrote one Breitbart News commenter.
"This is why I don't donate to Wikipedia," wrote another, adding that information on Wikipedia "can't be trusted."
For more related news about Wikipedia, be sure to check out Corruption.news.
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