Wikitia.com (spam link reports) is a mirror site that copies Wikipedia:Articles for creation submissions. It charges users for making changes to the articles on its site. Current charges include $40 to add a photo to an article and a $5 fee to connect to a "verified editor or agency" who then charges additional fees. As of 27 December 2020, the site had 5,548 articles and 33 users, 10 of which were active.
Process
editWikitia employees copy draft articles from Wikipedia, typically within a few days of their creation. They then add an infobox which has an "Add a Photo" link which goes to a page that offers to "Add a photo/ Youtube video on your existing Wikitia page" for a non-refundable $40 fee. Wikitia charges for changes to the articles. Smaller changes, such as adding external links or categories cost $40 while larger changes cost $100.
Fee schedule
edit$5
edit- connect to a "verified editor" who may charge ~$80-$100 for edits
$40
edit- Add/Edit two lines on any existing Wikitia page.
- Add 3 additional news references.
- Make minor edits/changes in Infobox.
- Add additional 2 categories on your existing page
$100
edit- Make your existing page comprehensive with a detailed intro and various other sections.
- Add news references.
- Add unlimited categories that describes you or your business.
- Add/Edit infobox with more info that describes you and your business. There are limitations and custom editing requests cant be handled.
Wikitia agencies/verified editors
editWikitia charges $2000 to become one of their agencies or "verified editors". They also charge a fee for each published page on Wikitia. Application for verified editor status is made by paying a $200 non-refundable fee.
Article comparison
edit| Wikipedia article | Date created | User | Wikitia article | Date created | User | Has image? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Draft:Close Cash | 02-07-2020 | Abking1993 | Close Cash | 05-07-2020 | AlisonW |  |
|
| Draft:Daniel Primetzhofer | 22-12-2019 | Therealkibitz | Daniel Primetzhofer | 26-12-2019 | Ankush.srg | |
|
| Draft:Henry Barkschat | 04-01-2020 | Sejelsinore | Henry Barkschat | 02-06-2020 | Albert |  |
The Prussian-born Barkschat was inaccurately labeled "Pursian" in the Wikitia infobox. |
| Draft:Julia Ivanova (filmmaker) | 03-01-2020 | Tailswagger | Julia Ivanova (filmmaker) | 18-02-2020 | Ankush.srg | |
A link to a YouTube video and various copyedits are made to the Wikitia article. |
| Draft:Sanusi Mohammed Ohiare | 01-11-2019 | NG AGM | Sanusi Mohammed Ohiare | 04-11-2019 | Ankush.srg | |
A YouTube video is added to Wikitia. Wikitia adds a notice saying that the information was sourced from Wikipedia on 14 May 2020. |
| Donald Lewis Sparks | 31-08-2020 | Gigiandd | Donald Lewis Sparks | 03-09-2020 | Daniel B | |
|
| Draft:Amin Aza Mturi | 19-09-2020 | ShanaEd | Amin Aza Mturi | 21-09-2020 | Daniel B | |
Wikitia uses "Tanzain" instead of "Tanzanian" |
| Karim Brohi | 17-10-2019 | Mrburnsurgery | Karim Brohi | 30-10-2019 | Ankush.srg | |
A YouTube video, website, external links, publications, and sections for education and career were added to Wikitia. |
| — | — | — | Lafiya Telehealth | 26-12-2020 | Wikitia moderator | |
No equivalent article seems to have been created on Wikipedia. |
| Draft:Aina Dumlao | 22-12-2020 | Nievesismyname | Aina Dumlao | 26-12-2020 | Daniel B | |
|
| Sucharit Bhakdi | 08-10-2020 | Yadsalohcin | Sucharit Bhakdi | 30-09-2020 | AkhilR | |
The Wikitia article is extremely short, and glosses over Bhakdi's controversial COVID-19 claims. |
| Masato Honda | 10-09-2020 | BenTheDuelist | Masato Honda | 29-09-2020 | Hseth | |
Draft article is copied into a Wikitia article which becomes the top search result.[1] (see User:SamHolt6/SEO wiki mirrors) |
| — | — | — | Bhansol | 24-12-2020 | Wikitia moderator | |
|
| — | — | — | Sigourney Belle Weldon | 28 August 2020 | JenniferS | |
Analysis
editWikitia is a for-profit business of questionable legality. It arguably provides a legitimate service where it is being used for SEO and to generate knowledge panels for its clients (see User:SamHolt6/SEO wiki mirrors). However, it is clearly targeting creators of new articles on Wikipedia. Due to Wikitia's similarity in appearance and name to Wikipedia, it is likely that some of its clients believe they are paying to have changes made to what they believe is an article on Wikipedia.
Further research is needed to determine whether Wikitia or its employees are engaging in editing-for-pay schemes on Wikipedia. A robust review of Wikitia articles could reveal patterns indicative of paid editing. Test submissions to Wikitia could be made to determine the types of services that are offered, esp. if it offers any on-Wikipedia services, and whether clients are being misled about the nature of their service. It is currently unclear how Wikitia is soliciting its services and how it is contacting new Wikipedia editors. Several Wikipedia editors have expressed surprise at finding that their drafts have appeared at Wikitia.
List of Wikitia editors
editAkhilR (talk | contribs) (Created on 17 May 2020 at 15:40) Alan Joyce (talk | contribs) (Created on 12 August 2020 at 13:29) Albert (talk | contribs) (Created on 2 June 2020 at 11:49) AlisonW (talk | contribs) (Created on 17 May 2020 at 09:26) AndreaGlover (talk | contribs) (Created on 3 December 2020 at 11:54) Ankush.srg (talk | contribs) (bureaucrat, interface administrator, administrator) (Created on 22 October 2019 at 11:06) Berend Haber (talk | contribs) (Created on 21 October 2020 at 07:49) BruceWayne (talk | contribs) (Created on 20 May 2020 at 13:54) CristineM (talk | contribs) (Created on 17 May 2020 at 15:40) Daniel B (talk | contribs) (Created on 3 September 2020 at 07:49) DebbieSchlegel (talk | contribs) (Created on 3 December 2020 at 11:52) EmilyBehnke (talk | contribs) (Created on 12 August 2020 at 13:28) ErinMcBride (talk | contribs) (Created on 17 May 2020 at 13:10) Hseth (talk | contribs) (Created on 9 March 2020 at 09:34) JenniferS (talk | contribs) (Created on 17 May 2020 at 15:50) JordanK (talk | contribs) (Created on 17 May 2020 at 13:19) Karen (talk | contribs) (Created on 17 May 2020 at 15:51) KateAmory (talk | contribs) (Created on 17 May 2020 at 15:49) KeniW (talk | contribs) (Created on 17 May 2020 at 13:09) KieranKelly (talk | contribs) (Created on 3 December 2020 at 11:49) MatthewSchwab (talk | contribs) (Created on 17 May 2020 at 15:40) NicoleOgoff (talk | contribs) (Created on 4 July 2020 at 10:27) Ravishk (talk | contribs) (Created on 10 March 2020 at 19:12) Remilda (talk | contribs) (Created on 17 May 2020 at 13:06) Truthoflife (talk | contribs) (Created on 10 December 2019 at 04:23) Vanjna (talk | contribs) (Created on 28 November 2019 at 10:03) Wikibhups (talk | contribs) (Created on 16 February 2020 at 06:27) Wikicreators (talk | contribs) (Created on 20 February 2020 at 17:14) Wikimonster (talk | contribs) (Created on 27 October 2020 at 16:28) Wikitia moderator (talk | contribs) (bot, bureaucrat, interface administrator, administrator) (Created on 30 July 2020 at 08:02) Wikitia verified (talk | contribs) (bureaucrat, administrator) (Created on 6 November 2019 at 17:24) Wikitiaadmin (talk | contribs) (Created on 6 June 2020 at 13:00) XihaoZhang (talk | contribs) (Created on 17 May 2020 at 13:14)