Talk:ISBNdb.com
Add topic | This article was nominated for deletion on 29 July 2026. The result of the discussion was keep. |
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Ownership
[edit]Ownership history: Andrew Maltsev / Ejelta LLC (US, 2001–2010), Price Network Inc. (Alex D. Neal, ex-CampusBooks.com founder) (Montana -> California, 2010–February 2023), 9 month gap that I haven't checked yet (February–November 2023), Estelar Software Unipessoal Lda (Feliks Zabolotskih, Warsaw) (Madeira, Portugal, November 15th 2023–present)
The ownership can be checked through the various company databases at biz.sosmt.gov, bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov and publicacoes.mj.pt/Pesquisa.aspx (NIPC 517839261) and finally https://www.northdata.com/Mocnysoft%20sp%C2%B7%20z%20o%C2%B7o%C2%B7,%20Warszawa/KRS0000981089. The last one aside, none of them can be directly linked. The company is using fake names on their website, stock photos for their employees on LinkedIn, has a history of not having any info on their precursor websites, and is using a shell company. Immediately reverting this looks really bad. ~2026-41809-86 (talk) 23:17, 27 July 2026 (UTC)
- Per WP:BLPSPS,
Never use self-published sources (including books, zines, websites, blogs, podcasts, or social network posts) as sources of material about a living person, unless written or published by the person themselves
. We would need a non-database source discussing this fact to include it. Hemiauchenia (talk) 23:20, 27 July 2026 (UTC)- The company is not a person, and the source is not self-published, unless you count the relevant governments as "selfs". You can use https://ejelta.com/projects.html as source for the first sale. https://bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov/api/report/GetImageByNum/245031089109000111153043114084022165064254197004 proves the change from Montana to California. https://bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov/api/report/GetImageByNum/147222044155216015048237122232145041228113039236 proves the termination. https://www.einforma.pt/servlet/app/portal/ENTP/prod/ETIQUETA_EMPRESA_CONTRIBUINTE/nif/517839261/contribuinte/517839261/ together with the copyright notice on the ISBNdb website gives you the NIF/NIPC (517839261), which you can look up at https://publicacoes.mj.pt/Pesquisa.aspx. The source here are the governments themselves, and Wikipedia explicitly states that primary sources maybe used "to make straightforward, descriptive statements of facts that can be verified by any educated person with access to the primary source but without further, specialized knowledge." ~2026-41809-86 (talk) 23:45, 27 July 2026 (UTC)
Redirect reasoning
[edit]I anticipate some complaints to my reversion back to a redirect for this article. In short, only the 404 Media article constitutes a reliable source for this subject. This fails the bar for notability for organizations for a standalone article, and as such, I have reverted to a redirect. If you would like to undo my reverts, you may, but please, for the love of bibilography, please, please, please, I BEG of you, please bring at least 3 reliable sources with you. Better yet, don't undo my edits and instead write a new article entirely from scratch, based on the backward principle. If and when you do so, feel free to overwrite my revert. Anything else is going straight to a deletion discussion. guninvalid (talk) 07:52, 28 July 2026 (UTC)
- For posterity, here is the single reliable source: Maiberg, Emanuel (2026-07-21). "AI Companies Are Buying Tons of Old Books Because They're Free of AI Slop". 404 Media. Retrieved 2026-07-22. guninvalid (talk) 07:54, 28 July 2026 (UTC)
Is there any coverage that this is related to Project Panama?
[edit]They seem to be in the same universe at least, but it would be helpful if we had sources confirming or denying a connection beyond a See Also. guninvalid (talk) 06:25, 10 August 2026 (UTC)
- https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/internet/ai-labs-buy-scan-shred-millions-of-rare-books/news-story/0c3b45a67093ab462a587a0348538ce9
- Looks like the current linkage is the fact that ISBNdb spoke about Project Panama on their (now deleted) webpage.
- “Anthropic kept Project Panama confidential, not because it was illegal, but because it looked bad,” ISBNdb says in an article on its website. “Destroying millions of books evokes images of burning libraries, even if the law was on their side.”
- It is unlikely that Anthropic will publicly disclose what vendors they used. Arutoria (talk) 09:26, 10 August 2026 (UTC)
- IDBNdb mentioning Project Panama on its blog doesn't make the two connected. The project was already all over the Washington Post and other papers before that post went up. Unless there's a source showing ISBNdb actually did business with Anthropic, the see also link should go. ~2026-49228-59 (talk) 13:53, 11 September 2026 (UTC)
- Not necessarily. There doesn't have to be a covered connection for WP:SEEALSO. It just means it can't be covered in the body because there's nothing to cover. guninvalid (talk) 18:13, 11 September 2026 (UTC)
Request edit: correct business model
[edit] | This edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest has now been answered. Set |answered=no to reactivate the request if necessary. |
Current text: ISBNdb provides free limited book data to unregistered users via a web interface.[1] Registered users can access full book data with the help of a web interface and API, based on a subscription.[2]
Proposed text: ISBNdb provides limited book metadata free of charge through its web interface; a paid subscription provides access to additional metadata fields and API access.[1][2]
Reason: Copyedit for concision and accuracy. "Full book data" overstates what the subscription provides; "additional metadata fields" is more precise. Existing citations are retained and support the revised wording.
Threadg (talk) 10:47, 10 August 2026 (UTC) Threadg (talk) 10:47, 10 August 2026 (UTC)
Not done: according to the page's protection level, you should be able to edit the page yourself. If you seem to be unable to, please reopen the request with further details. Theeverywhereperson talk here In solidarity! 11:12, 10 August 2026 (UTC)
Lead misattributes destructive scanning to ISBNdb
[edit]The lead states the organization received backlash "for performing destructive book scanning of old and rare books," cited to 404 Media (21 July 2026). That source reports ISBNdb advertised a book-sourcing service for AI companies; it does not report ISBNdb scanned or destroyed any books. The article's own final paragraph (Telegraph ref) quotes the company saying the service was "never brought to life." Per WP:V and WP:LEADFOLLOWSBODY, I propose rewording so the scanning is attributed to the AI companies, per the sources, while keeping the controversy and the company's response in the lead. Wickyclicky (talk) 12:28, 10 August 2026 (UTC)