Wikipedia Banned Euro Admin for Pay-to-Edit, Then Let Him Back
The Wikimedia Foundation reversed bans on Serbian Wikipedia administrator Bojan Cvjetković and another user, a rare reversal months after sanctions targeted seven users in March.
According to Breitbart News, Bojan Cvjetković and another banned user had their sanctions lifted on Wednesday, allowing them to resume editing activities on Wikipedia and its affiliated sites. The reversal comes months after Cvjetković was banned in March alongside six other users, most of whom were active on the Serbian-language version of Wikipedia.
Cvjetković had held “checkuser” privileges on the site prior to his ban, a status that granted him access to confidential user data. This elevated access became a point of controversy given his simultaneous engagement in paid editing work through his company Brisk Web Services.
Mass Ban Targeted Serbian Wikipedia Leadership
The Foundation imposed its bans on March 30, targeting Cvjetković and six other individuals in what appeared to be a coordinated action. Nearly all those banned were prominent figures within the Serbian Wikipedia community. Sadko had served as an administrator until July of the previous year, while CarRadovan and MareBG still held admin privileges at the time of their bans. A fourth user editing as NikolaB had been an administrator until 2022 before losing privileges due to inactivity.
Serbian media outlets and internal community newsletters suggested the bans were linked to concerns about political manipulation of Wikipedia sites connected to the former Yugoslav republic. Several other Serbian administrators resigned in the wake of the Foundation’s actions.
These Foundation bans, sometimes referred to as “SanFranBans” in reference to the organization’s San Francisco headquarters, are carried out by the Trust and Safety Team following investigations into alleged violations of the Terms of Use. The Foundation typically maintains strict confidentiality regarding the specific reasons for such actions.
Paid Editing Controversy Preceded Ban
Prior to his ban, Cvjetković had become the focus of heated debate on Meta, a site affiliated with Wikipedia. Editor Zoran Filipović had raised concerns about Cvjetković’s paid editing activities through his company. Cvjetković defended himself by noting that he disclosed his paid editing work, which complies with Wikipedia’s Terms of Use that prohibit only undisclosed paid editing, as Breitbart News reports.
Filipović himself had been banned from Serbian Wikipedia, with Cvjetković suggesting the paid editing complaint was retaliatory. Several Serbian Wikipedia administrators, including then-admin Sadko, supported Cvjetković’s position and claimed Filipović had circulated private information along with what they termed a “list for liquidation” on social media platforms.
Filipović disputed these characterizations but was subsequently banned from all Wikipedia-affiliated sites over comments that users deemed to be “spam.” The administrator who banned him stated the action was taken after consultation with Serbian Wikipedia admins.
Checkuser Privileges and Conflict of Interest
Despite disclosure of his paid editing, Cvjetković faced criticism from English Wikipedia administrator Sohom Datta, who identified instances where Cvjetković had not followed standard procedures for disclosed paid editing, particularly in articles related to sleep applications. Datta also noted potential use of AI tools and raised concerns about promotional editing.
The controversy prompted Datta to initiate a broader discussion about whether individuals with checkuser privileges should be permitted to engage in paid editing at all, even when disclosed. Datta and others argued that checkuser access is frequently used to identify paid editing by other users, creating an inherent conflict of interest.
Numerous administrators with checkuser privileges across various Wikipedia-affiliated sites participated in the discussion. Many opposed a blanket prohibition on paid editing, citing cases involving employees of educational institutions who might be affected. Supporters of restrictions proposed exemptions to address such concerns.
The discussion concluded at the end of November in favor of prohibiting paid editing by those holding checkuser privileges. Proposed policy wording was reportedly reviewed by Foundation staff who raised no objections, though a formal discussion on implementing the policy change has not yet been initiated.
The reversal of Cvjetković’s ban represents an unusual development in Wikipedia’s governance, as Foundation bans are rarely overturned once imposed.
With information from Breitbart News
