Wikipedia Citation Needed

The Wikipedia Citation Needed extension is designed to verify the reliability of online statements. This is achieved by cross-checking these statements with available information on Wikipedia. It provides a platform for users to independently validate the information they encounter as they browse the web.

The tool verifies the reliability of online statements by allowing a user to select a short passage of text to be checked. This selected passage is analyzed using the ChatGPT API, and then cross-checked for its presence in relevant Wikipedia articles. The tool fetches quotes from these articles for examination and comparison with the selected statement.

The ChatGPT API is integral to the verification process in the Wikipedia Citation Needed extension. The API is used to analyze the short passage of text chosen by the user. It then finds its occurrence in appropriate Wikipedia articles and fetches any relevant data or quotes from them for comparison.

Upon checking a chosen statement, the extension provides feedback about whether or not the statement aligns with information found in Wikipedia. It also supplies related article quality metrics including the date of the last edit and the number of references the article has. This gives users a deeper context and understanding of the information they are looking at.

Generative AI is one of the core technologies used in the Wikipedia Citation Needed tool. It plays a crucial role in scanning and analyzing the chosen statement, finding corresponding entries in Wikipedia, and generating the subsequent report that evaluates the statement's validity based on the information found.

User feedback is vital for the developers of Wikipedia Citation Needed because it helps improve the quality of delivered results. As an experimental feature that utilizes generative AI, the tool relies on user feedback to understand and rectify any inaccuracies or issues, thus enhancing the effectiveness and reliability of its performance.

The tool integrates with browsing activities by operating from a side panel. This design decision was made to ensure minimal disruption to the user's browsing activities. Users can continue browsing the web while the tool handles the verification process in the side panel.

Verification results in Wikipedia Citation Needed persist even when page interactions occur. In other words, the results do not disappear or get disrupted, allowing users to navigate the web while retaining access to their verification data.

After completing a certain number of verifications, users are given an option to make a donation to Wikipedia. This is designed to foster support for the platform and maintain its financial sustainability.

The extension helps users gain context on the information they're viewing by providing relevant article quality metrics. These metrics, such as the date of the last edit and the quantity of references, offer users deeper insight into the reliability and general acceptance of the information they're assessing.