Presentation on the GuttenPlag-Wiki, its contributors and their relationship as bearers of secondary performance roles in the journalism system to traditional journalists (primary performance roles) at HBI-/CCI-Workshop in Hamburg on July 26th, 2012.

1. The GuttenPlag-Wiki
and Its Contributors
Julius Reimer, M.A.
Hamburg, July 26th 2012

2. Agenda
• The GuttenPlag-Wiki:
A Social Web Phenomenon Fuelling a Scandal
• The GuttenPlag-Activists, part 1:
Results of a Spontaneous Online Survey
• The GuttenPlag-Activists, part 2:
Secondary Performance Roles in Journalism
2

3. A Social Web Phenomenon Fuelling a Scandal
Karl Theodor (...) zu Guttenberg,
former German minister of defence
(2009-2011)
3

4. A Social Web Phenomenon Fuelling a Scandal
Karl Theodor (...) zu Guttenberg, zu Guttenberg (2009):
former German minister of defence „Constitution and Constitutional
(2009-2011) Treaty: Constitutional Developments in
the US and EU“
4

5. A Social Web Phenomenon Fuelling a Scandal
Karl Theodor (...) zu Guttenberg, ???
zu Guttenberg (2009):
former German minister of defence „Constitution and Constitutional
(2009-2011) Treaty: Constitutional Developments in
the US and EU“
5

6. A Social Web Phenomenon Fuelling a Scandal
“PlagDoc” and
others start
The
GuttenPlag-
GuttenPlag-
wiki
crowd has
identified
Prof. of law GuttenPlag- ~180
Andreas wiki counts plagiarisms
Fischer- > 230,000 UV zu Guttenberg
on the 435
resigns
Lescano finds and pages
first plagiarism ~ 2 mio. PI
in zu (Quantcast.com)
Univ. of
Guttenberg’s
Bayreuth
dissertation
takes away zu
Guttenberg’s
doctorate in
law
(...) (...) (...) (...)
6

7. A Social Web Phenomenon Fuelling a Scandal
“PlagDoc” and
others start
Prof. of law GuttenPlag-
The
GuttenPlag-
wiki
Andreas crowd has
identified
Fischer- GuttenPlag- ~180
wiki counts
Lescano finds > 230,000 UV
plagiarisms
on the 435
zu Guttenberg
resigns
first plagiarism and
~ 2 mio. PI
pages
in zu (Quantcast.com)
Univ. of
Guttenberg’s Bayreuth
takes away zu
dissertation Guttenberg’s
doctorate in
law
(...) (...) (...) (...)
7

8. A Social Web Phenomenon Fuelling a Scandal
“PlagDoc” and
others start
The
GuttenPlag-
GuttenPlag-
wiki
crowd has
identified
Prof. of law GuttenPlag- ~180
Andreas wiki counts plagiarisms
Fischer- > 230,000 UV zu Guttenberg
on the 435
resigns
Lescano finds and pages
first plagiarism ~ 2 mio. PI
in zu (Quantcast.com)
Univ. of
Guttenberg’s
Bayreuth
dissertation
takes away zu
Guttenberg’s
doctorate in
law
(...) (...) (...) (...)
8

9. A Social Web Phenomenon Fuelling a Scandal
“PlagDoc” and
others start The
GuttenPlag- GuttenPlag-
crowd has
wiki identified
Prof. of law GuttenPlag- ~180
Andreas wiki counts plagiarisms
Fischer- > 230,000 UV zu Guttenberg
on the 435
resigns
Lescano finds and pages
first plagiarism ~ 2 mio. PI
in zu (Quantcast.com)
Univ. of
Guttenberg’s
Bayreuth
dissertation
takes away zu
Guttenberg’s
doctorate in
law
(...) (...) (...) (...)
9

10. A Social Web Phenomenon Fuelling a Scandal
“PlagDoc” and
others start
The
GuttenPlag-
GuttenPlag-
wiki
crowd has
identified
Prof. of law GuttenPlag- ~180
Andreas wiki counts plagiarisms
Fischer- > 230,000 UV zu Guttenberg
on the 435
resigns
Lescano finds and pages
first plagiarism ~ 2 mio. PI
in zu (Quantcast.com)
Univ. of
Guttenberg’s
Bayreuth
dissertation
takes away zu
Guttenberg’s
doctorate in
law
(...) (...) (...) (...)
10

11. A Social Web Phenomenon Fuelling a Scandal
“PlagDoc” and
others start
The
GuttenPlag-
GuttenPlag-
wiki
crowd has
GuttenPlag- identified
Prof. of law wiki counts ~180
Andreas plagiarisms
Fischer- > 230,000 UV on the 435
zu Guttenberg
resigns
Lescano finds
first plagiarism and pages
in zu ~ 2 mio. PI Univ. of
Guttenberg’s
dissertation (Quantcast.com) Bayreuth
takes away zu
Guttenberg’s
doctorate in
law
(...) (...) (...) (...)
11

12. A Social Web Phenomenon Fuelling a Scandal
“PlagDoc” and The
others start
GuttenPlag-
GuttenPlag-
wiki crowd has
identified
Prof. of law GuttenPlag-
Andreas wiki counts ~180
Fischer- > 230,000 UV zu Guttenberg
Lescano finds and plagiarisms resigns
first plagiarism ~ 2 mio. PI on the 435
in zu (Quantcast.com)
Guttenberg’s pages Univ. of
Bayreuth
dissertation
takes away zu
Guttenberg’s
doctorate in
law
(...) (...) (...) (...)
12

13. A Social Web Phenomenon Fuelling a Scandal
“PlagDoc” and
others start
The
GuttenPlag-
GuttenPlag-
wiki
crowd has
identified
Prof. of law GuttenPlag- ~180
Andreas wiki counts plagiarisms
zu Guttenberg
Fischer- > 230,000 UV Univ. of
on the 435
resigns
Lescano finds and pages
first plagiarism ~ 2 mio. PI Bayreuth
in zu
Guttenberg’s
(Quantcast.com)
takes away zu
dissertation Guttenberg’s
doctorate in
law
(...) (...) (...) (...)
13

14. A Social Web Phenomenon Fuelling a Scandal
“PlagDoc” and
others start
The
GuttenPlag-
GuttenPlag-
wiki
crowd has
identified
Prof. of law GuttenPlag-
Andreas wiki counts
~180
plagiarisms
zu Guttenberg
Fischer- > 230,000 UV on the 435 resigns
Lescano finds and pages
first plagiarism ~ 2 mio. PI
in zu (Quantcast.com)
Univ. of
Guttenberg’s
Bayreuth
dissertation
takes away zu
Guttenberg’s
doctorate in
law
(...) (...) (...) (...)
14

15. A Social Web Phenomenon Fuelling a Scandal
15

16. A Social Web Phenomenon Fuelling a Scandal
“This develops a great power, a ‘wham’;
we cannot keep up with this.”
(Interv. with Hauke Janssen (Der Spiegel), Mar 3rd 2011; transl.: JR)
16

17. Results of a Spontaneous Online Survey
Key results
• Questionnaire online for 48h (Feb 20th-22nd, 2011)
• 1,034 respondents
• Average age of respondents: 38.1 yrs.
• Only 17.6 % female
• “Educated swarm”: 63.6 % have university degree
• 18.8 % even have a doctor’s degree
• Core group of 143 active users (15.3 %) who searched for
plagiarisms, classified them and organised work
(735≤n≤932)
17

18. Results of a Spontaneous Online Survey
Motivations
• 62.1 %: Concern about the reputation of (German) science
and the “worth” of a PhD title
• 45.8 %: Aversion to zu Guttenberg himself or his reaction to
the accusations
(n=227)
18

19. Results of a Spontaneous Online Survey
Political orientation
Active “core group”: 121≤n≤123
Passive recipients: 659≤n≤672
(Source: Ruppert/Reimer 2011: 78)
19

20. Results of a Spontaneous Online Survey
Attention
• “How did you hear about the wiki?”
via traditional mass
9,6% media
26,3%
18,8% via a traditional mass
medium's website
13,4% via "new media", e.g.
31,9% blog, social network
via mail, phone, face-to-
face etc.
no comment
(n=849)
20

21. Results of a Spontaneous Online Survey
Attention economics
• Traditional journalism played an important role:
1. Founders of the wiki heard about the plagiarism
accusations via traditional mass media.
2. Most of the other wiki-users heard about the platform
via traditional mass media.
21

22. Secondary Performance Roles in Journalism
(Primary)
Audience
performance
roles:
roles:
Receiving
Effecting the
the system‘s
system’s
performance
performance
22

23. Secondary Performance Roles in Journalism
(Primary)
“Secondary performance Audience
performance
roles are a kind of roles:
roles:
activist alternative to a Receiving
Effecting the
mere audience status.” the system‘s
system’s
(Stichweh 2005: 35; transl.: JR) performance
performance
SPRs imitate PPRs‘ practices.
(Cf. Stichweh 2005: 37; Burzan et al. 2005, 2008; Volkmann 2010)
23

24. Secondary Performance Roles in Journalism
GuttenPlag
Journalism
Search for 79.7
plagiarisms %
Classify 35.7
plagiarisms %
Comment 57.3
on posts %
0%
50%
100%
24

25. Secondary Performance Roles in Journalism
GuttenPlag
Journalism
Search for 79.7 Research,
plagiarisms % fact-checking
Classify 35.7
plagiarisms %
Comment 57.3
on posts %
0%
50%
100%
25

26. Secondary Performance Roles in Journalism
GuttenPlag
Journalism
Search for 79.7 Research,
plagiarisms % fact-checking
Aggregation,
Classify 35.7
Classification,
plagiarisms %
Orientation
Comment 57.3
on posts %
0%
50%
100%
26

27. Secondary Performance Roles in Journalism
GuttenPlag
Journalism
Search for 79.7 Research,
plagiarisms % fact-checking
Aggregation,
Classify 35.7
Classification,
plagiarisms %
Orientation
Comment 57.3 Commenting,
on posts % Interpretations
0%
50%
100%
= journalistic selection- and presentation-programmes
(cf. Blöbaum 1994, 2000)
27

28. Secondary Performance Roles in Journalism
Processing
journalistic
programmes
Secondary Primary
yes performance performance
role role
Audience
no
role
28

29. Secondary Performance Roles in Journalism
Identity indicators of journalism
(Neuberger 2009: 62)
Journalism GuttenPlag
Topicality
Autonomy
Publicity
Wide range of topics
Periodicity
29

30. Secondary Performance Roles in Journalism
Identity indicators of journalism
(Neuberger 2009: 62)
Journalism GuttenPlag
Topicality ✔
Autonomy
Publicity
Wide range of topics
Periodicity
30

31. Secondary Performance Roles in Journalism
Identity indicators of journalism
(Neuberger 2009: 62)
Journalism GuttenPlag
Topicality ✔
Autonomy ✔
Publicity
Wide range of topics
Periodicity
31

32. Secondary Performance Roles in Journalism
Identity indicators of journalism
(Neuberger 2009: 62)
Journalism GuttenPlag
Topicality ✔
Autonomy ✔
Publicity ✔
Wide range of topics
Periodicity
32

33. Secondary Performance Roles in Journalism
Identity indicators of journalism
(Neuberger 2009: 62)
Journalism GuttenPlag
Topicality ✔
Autonomy ✔
Publicity ✔
Wide range of topics –
Periodicity
33

34. Secondary Performance Roles in Journalism
Identity indicators of journalism
(Neuberger 2009: 62)
Journalism GuttenPlag
Topicality ✔
Autonomy ✔
Publicity ✔
Wide range of topics –
Periodicity –
34

35. Secondary Performance Roles in Journalism
Identity indicators of journalism
(Neuberger 2009: 62)
Journalism GuttenPlag
Topicality ✔
Autonomy ✔
Publicity ✔
Wide range of topics –
Periodicity –
Periodicity and a wide range of topics can only be achieved
within the framework of a journalistic organisation.
(Cf. also Luhmann 2005)
35

36. Secondary Performance Roles in Journalism
Processing
journalistic
programmes
Secondary Primary
yes performance performance
role role
Audience
no
role
Member of a
journalistic
no yes organisation
36

37. Secondary Performance Roles in Journalism
Processing
journalistic
programmes
Secondary Primary
yes performance performance
role role
Audience Journalist-
no
role recipient
Member of a
journalistic
no yes organisation
37

38. Secondary Performance Roles in Journalism
Organisation
(performance
roles)
Bearer of
audience roles
Environment
(audience roles) Bearer of
performance roles
38

39. Secondary Performance Roles in Journalism
Organisation
(performance
roles)
Secondary
performance
roles Bearer of
audience roles
Environment
(audience roles) Bearer of
performance roles
39

40. Advertisement
Reimer, J./Ruppert, M. (forthcoming): GuttenPlag-Wiki und Journalismus: das
Verhältnis eines neuen Medienakteurs im Social Web zu den traditionellen
Massenmedien [GuttenPlag-Wiki and Journalism: the Relationship of a New
Media Actor in the Social Web to Traditional Mass Media]. In: Dolata, U./
Schrape, J.-F. (Eds.): Das Internet und der Wandel von Medienwelten [The
Internet and the Change of Media Worlds]. Berlin: Edition Sigma
40

41. Thank you for your attention.
References
• Blöbaum, B. 1994: Journalismus als soziales System. Geschichte, Ausdifferenzierung und
Verselbständigung. Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag
• Blöbaum, B. 2000: Organisationen, Programme und Rollen. Die Struktur des Journalismus. In:
Löffelholz, M. (Ed.): Theorien des Journalismus. Ein diskursives Handbuch. Wiesbaden:
Westdeutscher Verlag, S. 169–183
• Burzan, N./Lökenhoff, B. /Schimank, U. /Schöneck, N. M. 2005: Inklusionsprofile. Eine
differenzierungstheoretische Sozialstrukturanalyse Deutschlands. Hagen: FernUniversität Hagen
• Burzan, N./Lökenhoff, B./Schimank, U./Schöneck, N. M. 2008: Das Publikum der Gesellschaft.
Inklusionsverhältnisse und Inklusionsprofile in Deutschland. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag
• Luhmann, N. 2005: Interaktion, Organisation, Gesellschaft. Anwendungen der Systemtheorie. In:
Ders.: Soziologische Aufklärung 2. Aufsätze zur Theorie der Gesellschaft. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag, S.
9–24
• Neuberger, C. 2009: Internet, Journalismus und Öffentlichkeit. Analyse des Medienumbruchs. In:
Neuberger, C./Nuernbergk, C./Rischke, M. (Eds.): Journalismus im Internet. Profession –
Partizipation – Technisierung. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag, S. 19–105
• Ruppert, M./Reimer, J. 2011: Im Schwarm. In: Journalist, Jg. 62, H. 4, S. 76–80
• Stichweh, R. 2005: Inklusion und Exklusion. Studien zur Gesellschaftstheorie. Bielefeld: Transcript
• Volkmann, U. 2010: Sekundäre Leistungsrolle. Eine differenzierungstheoretische Einordnung des
Prosumenten am Beispiel des ‚Leser-Reporters‘. In: Blättel-Mink, B./Hellmann, K. (Eds.): Prosumer
Revisited. Zur Aktualität einer Debatte. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag, S. 206–220
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42. Thank you for your attention.
Picture credits
• Plagiarism barcode: URL: http://de.guttenplag.wikia.com/ (accessed Jul 25th 2011; screenshot: JR)
• Photo of zu Guttenberg: Peter Weis, URL: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/
Karl-Theodor_Freiherr_von_und_zu_Guttenberg.jpg (accessed Jul 25th 2011)
• Dissertation cover: URL: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/
Cover_KT_Diss_Print.png (accessed Jul 25th 2011)
• Article on Sueddeutsch.de: URL: http://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/plagiatsvorwurf-gegen-
verteidigungsminister-guttenberg-soll-bei-doktorarbeit-abgeschrieben-haben-1.1060774 (accessed
Jul 25th 2011; screenshot: JR)
• Plagiarism in the opening of the dissertation: URL: http://de.guttenplag.wikia.com/wiki/Seite_015
(accessed Jul 25th 2011; screenshot: JR)
• Figure “Political orientation”: Ruppert/Reimer 2011: 78
Other sources
• Interview with Hauke Janssen (Der Spiegel), Mar 3rd, 2011
• Quantcast.com
42

43. Thank you for your attention.
Julius Reimer, M.A.
Hans-Bredow-Institut
Warburgstraße 8-10
20354 Hamburg
j.reimer@hans-bredow-institut.de
@jpub20team
@julius_reimer
43