What 20 million bans reveal about the strain on Wikipedia’s volunteers

Wikipedia has grown steadily in size and importance, but a shrinking core of volunteer administrators is straining the organization.

By: Ryan McGrady, UMass Amherst, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: June 25, 2026

Words: 1,442

Last Updated: 4 weeks ago

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By Ryan McGrady, UMass Amherst

This year, Wikipedia is celebrating 25 years as the internet’s encyclopedia that anyone can edit. In its first decade, the quirky experiment for passionate nerds exploded in popularity. It became a ubiquitous information resource and a homework helper for schoolkids, much to the dismay of skeptical teachers.

In its second decade, amid the public’s growing dissatisfaction with the mangling of facts in popular discourse, it took on …

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