Interpreting Wikipedia’s Demographic Decline: Implications for an Emergent Community

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Interpreting Wikipedia’s Demographic Decline: Implications for an Emergent Community
Panelist	Andrew Lih
Themes	Communities
About the panelist
Andrew Lih (andrew .at. andrewlih .dot. com), is author of The Wikipedia Revolution. He is a former journalism professor at Columbia University and Hong Kong University, and is currently a professor at USC's Annenberg School of Journalism. He is also an administrator on the English Wikipedia.
Abstract
Wikipedia has been accustomed to euphoric exponential growth but recent statistics across the largest language editions (en, de, fr, es) show distinctly flat growth. Indicators confirm a decrease in the number of editors, new registrants, and article growth. With the low-hanging fruit having been picked and shifting motivations for volunteer participation, what are the implications on article quality, community health, and project sustainability going forward? A panel of Wikipedia researchers and statisticians discuss this critical trend.
Language	English
Video (download)