First of all, before we determine the reliability or the usefulness of Wikipedia, we must ask what we are using or relying on Wikipedia for. It is certainly not a source as it is not where the information originally comes from, but it is somewhat useful. Below I have provided the pros and cons of Wikipedia.
The Pros Of Wikipedia
It is great way to get a general knowledge of any single topic in about five minutes. It is good for finding common knowledge which doesn't need to be cited. It is useful for looking up information that professional sources do not offer such as cultural information. While an official website for a politician or business or organization is unilateral, Wikipedia provides a list of criticisms for almost any topic and essentially, it is the voice of the common man. Also, its self-regulating nature is usually successful in weeding out spam and vandalism. A study reports that Wikipedia is just as accurate as Britannica.
The Cons Of Wikipedia
Many of Wikipedia's sources are broken links and many claims on Wikipedia aren't even backed by a source. Even though it is proportionately rare, Wikipedia does contain a lot of inaccuracies, vandalism, spam, and errors. Also, beware of Wikipedia articles which look like they are two-sided, but are truly biased. Moreover, Wikipedia is mostly edited by teenagers, the unemployed, and other people who have better things to do, rather than doctors and scientists.
Overall, I see it as a good way to get a general breadth of knowledge, but the information on Wikipedia should always be questioned and never should be taken as authoritative.
What are your thoughts on this?