Hong Kong's government slammed for citing Wikipedia in official research

The government has been accused of using standards of sourcing that would shame an undergraduate student after citing information from Wikipedia in Legislative Council papers.

The free online encyclopedia is used as a quick reference source by millions every day, but its use is frowned upon by academics because it is an "open source" platform that anyone can edit.

But a Security Bureau paper for a Legco panel meeting on February 3 cited Wikipedia as the source for a table comparing identity card policies in 34 countries. A search of the Legco website reveals that the legislature's own research unit had cited Wikipedia in preparing discussion papers for various panels.

Lawmakers from both pan-democratic and pro-establishment camps slammed the government for its "sloppy work".

"Anyone can modify the entries on Wikipedia," League of Social Democrats lawmaker "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung said. "Even the entry about me is full of false facts."

Leung said it was not the first time the lawmakers were given questionable information. "We don't even know if the discussion is based on real facts. This shouldn't have happened."

Pro-establishment lawmaker Lam Tai-fai also questioned why officials did not do their own research. "Even many African countries have set up consulates in Hong Kong. Giving the consulates a call would do."