Summary of some of the main challenges facing Wikipedia and example measures to address them
| Challenge | Proposed solution(s) |
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Content accuracy, readability and language bias
23 45 60 Highly variable article quality Much important information only available to English-language speakers | Greater participation of experts—edits beget edits48 Content addition through external partnerships Automated language complexity information Tools to recommend articles for translation60 |
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Editor numbers, demographic bias and expertise
46 56 Size of the community insufficient to support sufficiently diverse expertise Over-representation of male, white editors from high-income countries Tracking and reward for contribution still underdeveloped | Target diverse editor recruitment Support interface and cultural changes that reduce disadvantage for under-represented groups46 Develop more sophisticated ways to summarise a contributor’s impact56 |
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Bureaucracy and policy complexity
47 Wikipedia’s norms and policies can be different from those that medical and research professionals are used to, and their descriptions are overly complex. | Simplify and consolidate rules, particularly for new contributors Promote compatible collaboration models with external partners |