Counter-Misinformation Dynamics: The Case of Wikipedia Editing Communities during the 2024 US Presidential Elections

Abstract

Wikipedia is an essential source of information online, so efforts to combat misinformation on this platform are critical to the health of the information ecosystem. However, few studies have comprehensively examined misinformation dynamics within Wikipedia. We address this gap by investigating Wikipedia editing communities during the 2024 US Presidential Elections, focusing on the dynamics of misinformation. We assess the effectiveness of Wikipedia's existing measures against misinformation dissemination over time, using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to study edits posted on politicians' pages. We find that the volume of Wikipedia edits and the risk of misinformation increase significantly during politically charged moments. We also find that a significant portion of misinformation is detected by existing editing mechanisms, particularly overt cases such as factual inaccuracies and vandalism. Based on this assessment, we conclude by offering some recommendations for addressing misinformation within Wikipedia's editing ecosystem.

Keywords: 2024 presidential elections, misinformation, US politics, Wikipedia, election integrity