Wikipedia celebrated its 25th anniversary on January 15, 2026, marking a milestone in the history of the online encyclopedia that was founded in 2001. Since its creation, Wikipedia has revolutionized access to information, being recognized in 2020 as the largest encyclopedia in the world with over 50 million articles in various languages.
A better Internet is among us
In December 2025, the site reached the impressive figure of 27 billion visits, with 7 billion unique visitors, a record that reflects its relevance and popularity in the digital age. Unlike most online platforms that overwhelm users with ads, Wikipedia remains a bastion of free access to information, limiting itself to making donation requests once a year.
At the same time, Wikipedia has faced significant challenges in recent years. In 2025, the Wikimedia Foundation became involved in a conflict with the Online Safety Law in the United Kingdom. Likewise, the threat of revoking its nonprofit status in the United States, raised by the Trump administration’s lawyer, Eagle Ed Martin, highlighted the project’s vulnerability to political pressures and accusations of information manipulation.
In addition, the Foundation has reported an unusual increase in bot traffic related to artificial intelligence, while human reading has decreased by 8%, raising questions about the long-term health of the platform. Despite these challenges, Wikipedia continues to be an invaluable tool for researchers, educators, and the curious around the world. Undoubtedly, it is a significant achievement in an increasingly hostile and complex internet.
