A 2008 United Nations University survey of 130,000 Wikipedia users exposes a surprising profile: the average age of a contributor is 26.8 years (10 years younger than the average age of the general population in âmore developedâ countries), 87% are male, and at least 46% are not university educated. Even with this relatively young age and education profile, 70-90% of contributors self-identify as âexpertsâ.
The results hint towards a particular type of person becoming a Wikipedia user: young, male and self-assured. Might this lack of diversity affect the subjectivity and content of the encyclopedia?