WICKED WIKIPEDIA?

Is it really or has it just been misused and become a scapegoat...

Upon its conception, Wikipedia was introduced as a free on-line encyclopedia designed for the masses by the masses as a compliation of collaborative opinions on specific subjects. This in itself is cause for alarm.
Recently a Cal Tech graduate student, Virgil Griffith, developed a search tool, the wikipedia scanner, that can trace IP addresses of those who make changes. Other than this, there are no fact/spin checks available. Many of the authors are the interested parties themselves who try to manipulate the information in order to provide a more favorable slant.
James Wales, Wiki Founder, is aware of the situation and of the new scanner and chooses to make no comments at present time.
If used the way it was designed, as a source of information, not cold hard facts, it still serves a purpose. Most of the edits are not critical, but I still would not use it as a primary source of my information.