Circadian patterns of Wikipedia editorial activity: A demographic analysis

TL;DR

This study analyzes the circadian and demographic patterns of Wikipedia editors across 34 languages, revealing universal and cultural differences in editing activity and estimating global geographical distributions.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive demographic and temporal analysis of Wikipedia editing patterns across multiple languages, highlighting cultural variations and estimating geographic distributions.

Findings

Identified universal circadian patterns in editing activity.

Revealed cultural differences in editing behaviors.

Estimated global geographical distribution of editors.

Abstract

Wikipedia (WP) as a collaborative, dynamical system of humans is an appropriate subject of social studies. Each single action of the members of this society, i.e. editors, is well recorded and accessible. Using the cumulative data of 34 Wikipedias in different languages, we try to characterize and find the universalities and differences in temporal activity patterns of editors. Based on this data, we estimate the geographical distribution of editors for each WP in the globe. Furthermore we also clarify the differences among different groups of WPs, which originate in the variance of cultural and social features of the communities of editors.