Susan Gerbic

Susan Gerbic is a co-founder of the skeptic action groups “Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia” and “Monterey County Skeptics” (California).1

Gerbic bills herself as a “professional portrait photographer who specializes in people who don’t want their
portraits taken”2 (a statement which is an insight into several forms of psychological pathology, including a lack of empathy; a common theme among pseudoskeptics).

According to scientist-author Rupert Sheldrake, whose Wikipedia biography has been a target of her group “Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia”:

“The Guerrilla Skeptics are well trained, highly motivated, have an ideological agenda, and operate in teams, contrary to Wikipedia rules. The mastermind behind this organization is Susan Gerbi[c]. … She now has over 90 guerrillas operating in 17 different languages. The teams are coordinated through secret Facebook pages. They check the credentials of new recruits to avoid infiltration. Their aim is to ‘control information’, and Ms. Gerbi[c] glories in the power that she and her warriors wield. They have already seized control of many Wikipedia pages, deleted entries on subjects they disapprove of, and boosted the biographies of atheists.”3

British journalist Robert McLuhan adds:

“…it’s a pity that this key source for learning and education is so compromised as far as serious parapsychology is concerned. There is of course plenty of information about parapsychology, but little that isn’t gummed up with sceptic disdain. Even aside from that, it looks rather flat and lame. What’s to stop editors giving quotes from credible people – scientists, psi-researchers, experients who are well-known in other fields – that give their own enthusiastic responses? Why are the dullards, ignoramuses and professional nay-sayers getting such a free run?

“We need to make it clear that our evidence counts as evidence. At the very least, if sceptics insert a long section at the end of an entry that promotes their views exclusively, under the heading of ‘Criticism’ or some such, then it seems to me to be perfectly legitimate to add a following section headed ‘Responses to criticism’, in which the key points would be rebutted, at leisure and without constant heckling.”4

Wikipedia is headed by Jimmy Wales, who has indicated support for the skeptical bias and has not, despite complaints, implemented changes to Wikipedia’s editorial policies in order to prevent the pseudoskeptical defacement of entries.

 
References:

1. Wikapediatrician Susan Gerbic discusses her Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia project
Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, March 8, 2013

2. What is Guerrilla Skepticism?
Edward Clint, February 13, 2013

3. Wikipedia Under Threat
Rupert Sheldrake, October 5, 2013

4. Guerrilla Skeptics
Robert McLuhan, March 26, 2013

Photo source: Wikipedia

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