Wikimedia Foundation

Pop hits and Wikipedia articles flow together, offering tunes and facts that paint a fuller picture of artistic invention and public reception. In a recent essay, writer Stephen Harrison examines the connection between Wikipedia and hit songs. Harrison highlights new research analyzing the ongoing relevancy of 1980s pop music and speaks with editors dedicated to documenting classics like Fleetwood Mac’s "Dreams" and Michael Jackson’s "Billie Jean". Though these songs are decades old, their Wikipedia pages spike in popularity when the songs are sampled or have a viral social media moment – including the 2020 video where a man lip-synced to "Dreams" while skateboarding and drinking juice. Editors also add or change information when new details emerge, and, sometimes, they debate about the genre a song belongs to. These ongoing discussions and edits help keep the articles in rotation, ready for fans to discover whenever they are curious. Learn more about Wikipedia editors’ devotion to recording pop culture ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dFeRYhv3 

Wikidata has been recognized as a digital public good by the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA) 🎉 With over 1.6 billion facts in its repertoire, Wikidata provides the information that powers Wikipedia and its sister projects, as well as projects ranging from public interest to technology to arts, culture, and history. Wikidata is an open knowledge base that can be read by humans and machines and is accessible across disciplines and languages. Endorsed by the United Nations, the DPGA maintains a registry of open source-software, data, AI models, standards, and content created for the public interest. Wikidata is the second Wikimedia project to be officially recognized as a digital public good; Wikipedia received the honor earlier this year. In addition to Wikimedia projects, Wikidata supports countless applications and research projects, including collaborations with institutions and online platforms like UNESCO, Europeana, the Library of Congress, and OpenStreetMap. Learn more about this open data project that helps advance education, innovation, economic growth, and public institutions ➡️ https://lnkd.in/d8MVhtsr

Happy 13th birthday, Wikidata! Facts do not live in isolation; they form a web of connections that shape understanding. Thirteen years ago, Wikidata was created to store and link facts across Wikipedia and its sister projects. This free, open-knowledge base acts as central storage for structured data, allowing infoboxes to update automatically and enabling complex queries – from finding all physicists born in a certain era to listing countries by population. Information in Wikidata is machine‑readable, freely licensed, and interlinked with other open datasets, supporting research, apps, and AI. Volunteers curate this data, merging duplicates, adding references, and connecting content across the various Wikimedia projects. As Wikidata turns 13, we celebrate the editors and developers who maintain it and invite others to explore its query tools, contribute new items, and help build a richer network of knowledge. Connect the dots on Wikidata ➡️ https://w.wiki/Jg

Transparency makes Wikipedia one of the most trusted sources of information on the internet. A rare but necessary currency online, transparency is built into Wikipedia in many ways – from History tabs tracking every edit to Talk pages revealing editors’ discussions. Transparency doesn’t guarantee perfection, but it allows everyone to see how information is created, questioned, and improved. Research shows that the more people debate a Wikipedia article, the more accurate and reliable it becomes. Learn how Wikipedia can inspire new standards of knowledge integrity for our times ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dKDAPwVV 

What does public policy have to do with free knowledge? A lot more than you might think. The Wikimedia Foundation works around the world to support laws and policies that protect and promote access to knowledge online and human rights. From privacy and freedom of expression to internet access and copyright reform, public policy decisions directly impact how people can contribute to and benefit from projects like Wikipedia. Our goal is to ensure that knowledge remains open, collaborative, and available to everyone. Learn more on how policy shapes knowledge from Wikimedia Foundation Policy's newsletter ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gUhjKGWY

Congratulations, Buginese Wikipedia ✨✨✨ The Buginese language, spoken by about four million people in South Sulawesi and beyond, is part of the Austronesian family. Its rich literary tradition includes ancient texts written in the Lontara script, and today, its digital presence is thriving. Launched on 24 October 2005, the Buginese Wikipedia has spent two decades documenting culture, history, and science in Basa Ugi. Volunteers overcame challenges such as limited technical support for non‑Latin scripts and developed tools to input Lontara. Articles now range from traditional boatbuilding to modern environmental issues, and teachers use the site to encourage students to read and write in their mother tongue. The anniversary celebrates those who keep Buginese knowledge alive online and invites new contributors to join the next 20 years of growth. Discover the Buginese language ➡️ https://w.wiki/FUnM

When physicists trade chalkboards for edit windows, science comes to life in unexpected ways. Through the Advancing Physics Wikipedia Education Program, students and professionals become "Wiki Scientists" by learning research skills, citation practices, and community norms. Participants identify gaps in physics content, improve articles, and collaborate with seasoned editors. The program shows how academia and open knowledge work together: professors incorporate editing assignments into coursework, helping students think critically about sources and public communication. As a result, biographies of underrepresented scientists grow, complex theories are explained clearly, and readers across the globe gain access to accurate physics information. Editing also connects novices with a supportive volunteer community, illustrating that even experts benefit from collaboration when shaping public understanding of science. Open a wormhole to more knowledge about the project ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gjSJQNDT

Bolivian legends are coming to life on Wikipedia! For generations, mythical figures like the Jichi, the Chancho Verde, and the Tío de la Mina have been shared orally, teaching lessons about life, water, and respect for the earth. But oral traditions can be hard to capture online. To bridge this gap, Wikimedistas de Bolivia teamed up with graphic design students at the University for Development and Innovation. Through workshops, students read, analyzed, and illustrated stories from eastern Bolivia, ensuring each image reflects their unique understanding of the universe, life, and collective responsibility. Eight Wikipedia articles now feature illustrations that bring the legends’ characters and messages to a broader audience. From elves and water serpents to supernatural warnings, these visual stories make cultural knowledge more engaging and accessible. Explore the stories ➡️ https://w.wiki/FXJ6

How do you turn an 800-page climate report into knowledge people actually use? The Second Austrian Assessment Report on Climate Change (AAR2), produced by 200+ scientists and 5,000+ sources, offers essential guidance for Austria’s climate future. But its real impact depends on accessibility. That’s where Wikimedia Österreich stepped in. By ensuring the report and its data were published under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license, the findings became free to share, adapt, and integrate into Wikipedia. The Wikimedian in Residence User:TheTokl worked with researchers to analyze the report, catalog key topics, and guide volunteer editors in bringing climate science directly to Wikipedia readers. Articles were updated with the latest findings, portraits of contributing scientists on Commons, structured data on Wikidata, and new connections between climate change and related topics like transport, urban planning, and public health. Collaboration between scientists and the free knowledge movement ensures critical climate information reaches beyond academia, helping the public engage with the science that will shape our collective future. Read more ➡️ https://w.wiki/FXHt

With more than 1.5 billion people worldwide living with some degree of hearing loss, access to reliable information is vital, especially in low and middle-income countries where prevention and treatment resources are limited. At WikiCon Brasil 2025, volunteers behind the WikiProject Hearing Health highlighted how Wikimedia projects can support global hearing health through free and open knowledge. Launched in 2024, WikiProject Hearing Health builds on years of teaching and research, offering initiatives like the open online course "Introduction to Basic Audiology" and the global "Wiki4WorldHearingDay" campaign. At the conference, coordinators presented work on integrating language models to help review and improve health content on Wikipedia and Wikidata, as well as methods developed from 40+ educational programs. Their participation shows how digital public goods, free software, open data, and open content can directly impact public health. By combining expert knowledge, new technologies, and Wikimedia’s collaborative platforms, the project helps close information gaps and expand access to hearing health education. Learn more ➡️ https://w.wiki/FXHd