Wikipedia

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Wikipedia is a free, multilingual online encyclopedia that was launched on January 15, 2001, by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger. It operates as a collaborative platform where content is created, edited, and maintained by volunteers from around the world. Wikipedia is hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization based in the United States. Articles on Wikipedia are written in a neutral tone and cover a wide range of topics, including history, science, culture, politics, and more.

The platform follows an open-editing model, allowing anyone with internet access to edit most of its pages, provided they adhere to Wikipedia’s guidelines and policies, which include maintaining a neutral point of view, citing reliable sources, and avoiding original research. Wikipedia has grown to become one of the most visited websites globally, featuring millions of articles across more than 300 languages. The English-language Wikipedia is the largest edition, containing over 6 million articles.

Wikipedia's content is constantly updated and reviewed by both casual contributors and experienced editors who monitor changes to ensure accuracy and consistency. The platform also features a revision history for each article, allowing users to view changes made over time and revert to previous versions if necessary. Articles are typically linked to related content, enabling users to explore subjects in depth through internal links.

Wikipedia relies on donations from its readers and support from the Wikimedia Foundation to operate, as it does not display traditional advertisements. The platform is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license, meaning its content can be freely shared and adapted as long as proper credit is given and any modifications are similarly licensed.

While Wikipedia has been praised for its accessibility and vast range of information, it has also faced criticism regarding the reliability of some articles due to its open-editing model. Efforts to improve content accuracy include more rigorous citation requirements and the involvement of subject-matter experts in certain areas.