The Wikimedia Foundation has reported its first significant drop in traffic from live users in years. This spring, site visits fell by 8% compared to the same period last year. People are increasingly bypassing links to seek information, opting instead for concise AI-generated summaries.
Meanwhile, Gen Z users are turning to TikTok and other social media platforms as trusted sources—someone should probably tell them otherwise.
Historically, Wikipedia saw a surge in traffic, but it later emerged that much of it came from bots. After a cleanup, these automated visitors were reduced, though they’ve since become better at disguising themselves. This suggests the actual decline in human traffic might be even steeper than reported.
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Wikipedia is pleading with users not to abandon the “last good site on the internet” and to approach information more thoughtfully. Yet, these calls feel like cries in the wilderness. The platform has long struggled with questionable editing practices, eroding its credibility. Restoring trust - and traffic - seems unlikely. However, nature abhors a vacuum. Elon Musk has already teased his own “Grokipedia,” promising a bold alternative with blackjack and no censorship.
