Understanding Wikimedia audiences in Brazil to achieve knowledge equity

Methodology

  • Online survey
  • Two sample frames: 1,000 non-white Brazilians
  • 500 nationally representative sample of Brazilians
  • Target audience: Online population
  • Survey dates: 16-24 October 2021

Context

There are unique socio-cultural factors and nuances in the Brazilian market that are reflected in the language and data, which should be taken into account when reading the report:

  • The official ethnic groups as measured by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) in the Brazilian census are: White (branco), brown (pardo), black (preto), asian (amarelo), and indigenous (indígena)
  • According to the IBGE, the brown community encompasses mixed race Brazilians such as mulatos and cafuzos, as well as assimilated Amerindians known as caboclos

In this study we have used the classifications and language that the Brazilian census uses for the different ethnic groups

Key Insights

  • Black people are well represented in media, but not on Wikipedia
  • We must engage the Asian community, who have low awareness & a more negative view of the platform
  • We must improve engagement with the Brazilian LGBT community, who want to be better represented on Wikipedia (and in Brazilian media overall

Usage and Awareness

  • Black/brown women are most aware of Wikipedia
  • White men are the most likely to use Wikipedia, black men & Asian community are less likely
  • Technology appears more important for men. There is opportunity to bring in Black & Brown women through content about health and wellbeing

Perception and Representation

  • Black demographic groups feel Wikipedia under/misrepresents its race; black women especially
  • It is most important to black and brown women, and LGBT people to be represented on Wikipedia

Editing

  • Men and those with health conditions are the most likely to claim having edited a Wikipedia article
  • The biggest editing driver, more so for brown people, is wanting to feel part of something bigger. 

See the complete report

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Clockwise from top left: Candles by Igor Ovsyannykov/igorovsyannykov, CC0; Kamala Harris by Lawrence Jackson/US Government, public domain; Absentee ballot by Paulo O, public domain; Menendez brothers from Los Angeles Times/Getty, fair use; Donald Trump by Shaleah Craighead/US Government, public domain; Cricket match by Amarnath.de, public domain; JD Vance by United States Congress, public domain; Deadpool and Wolverine, fair use; American flag by Noah Wulf, CC BY-SA 4.0; UEFA Euro 2024 match ball by Bildersindtoll, CC0; Eiffel Tower by Kimberly Blair/US Army, public domain; US voting booth by Phil Roeder, CC BY 2.0; Sam Altman by Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunch, CC BY 2.0; Taylor Swift by iHeartRadioCA, CC BY 3.0; Rajiv Kumar by the Election Commission of India, GODL-India; Donald Trump and others by Shealah Craighead/US Government, public domain

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