Author, The Editors
This week, Ira spoke with Stephen Harrison, author of The Editors. In this novel episode of “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Stephen talks about his book, which takes readers behind the scenes of a fictionalized version of Wikipedia called Infopendium, where the facts seen near the top of most Google searches are the result of cooperation and curation between dozens, even hundreds of volunteer editors…but where what is written can also spark fierce battles between the editors and sway the truth for millions; why he was writing about some truths in the form of fiction; why he didn’t want to hurt real people who live in countries where access to Wikipedia is illegal; how his novel reduces “Wikipedia’s” polices to four; their aim for neutrality; why we’re not lacking for information in today’s world, we are lacking quality of information; and how part of the story takes place during the pandemic.
Stephen Harrison is a writer and tech lawyer. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, WIRED, and many other outlets. For several years, he wrote a column for Slate magazine focused on Wikipedia and internet information.
He holds degrees in English literature, business, and law from the University of Texas at Austin and Washington University in St. Louis.