  Wikipedia has evolved beyond its original function as an online encyclopedia
in an increasingly complex data-driven society. The social platform is met with
a balancing act between collective intelligence and mass surveillance;
processes need to be developed to protect individuals and the community from
government mass surveillance without sacrificing the important contributions
made through prohibited anonymous communication software. Case studies are
provided from NSA government surveillance practices, the anti-SOPA legislation
movement, and research that covers Wikipedia's involvement with participatory
journalism, disinformation, self-censorship, and the use of Tor. This paper
proposes that a common ground can be developed between individuals, public and
private institutions through future research in socio-cultural anthropology and
policy frameworks around data retention and government accountability.
Wikipedia is used as an example within the US intelligence community as a
complex organisation that can adapt to changes through its iterative nature,
which draws insight into how policy frameworks can be future-proofed. Finally,
this paper is a wake-up call to individuals, private institutions, and
governments to remain vigilant about the storage and use of personal
information as a result of contributing to online communities.
