Wikipedia tightens content submission rules

Wikipedia is having to make changes to it's submission system after complaints over a entry in the online encyclopaedia on the Kennedy Assassination:

Online encyclopaedia Wikipedia has tightened its submission rules following a complaint.

Prominent journalist John Seigenthaler described as "false and malicious" an entry on Wikipedia implicating him in the Kennedy assassinations.

When he phoned Jimmy Wales, Wikipedia's founder, he was told there was no way of finding out who wrote the entry.

Wikipedia has since removed the entry and now requires users to register before they can create articles.

But visitors to the site will still be able to edit content already posted without having to register.

The case has highlighted once again the problem of publishing information online.

More from the BBC here.

Hang on... so what's the point of enforcing a new registration system, if you can still edit existing articles as a guest? What's to stop 'Impulse vandalism' of content that's already there? Nothing, of course. Seems as if it's a reactionary half measure, put in place as a sop to the complainer, with a hope that it won't get any flack from the Wiki community. But why not take it one stop further and need registration to edit articles? It's what any online community (like our very own forums) requires, so why not Wiki?

Wikipedia - best thing since sliced bread, or "flawed and irresponsible research tool". Let us know your thoughts on this in the news forum (registration required).