The Wikimedia Movement contributes every day toward a better internet, one that is free – filled with reliable information that belongs to everyone and benefits everyone.
This is the ideal that the many Wikimedia projects stand for. Earlier this year, in February, Wikipedia was recognized as a digital public good (DPG). Now, Wikidata follows in its footsteps – as the world’s largest open knowledge graph, used globally to build transparency, trust, and digital equity.
This is big news and deserves to be celebrated with the worldwide Wikidata community and the entire Movement! None of this would have been possible without your contributions and passion for free knowledge!
Here’s why this step matters – and how Wikidata continues to contribute to more equitable access to knowledge and sustainable development.
Knowledge in the Service of Humanity
Free access to knowledge for everyone is still not a given. Information either costs money and/or is controlled in the interests of a few actors. Projects like Wikipedia and Wikidata make a different digital world possible: one where knowledge is collected, maintained, and protected by a global volunteer community – for everyone.
After Wikipedia’s recognition as a digital public good (DPG) in February 2025, Wikidata has now also received this distinction. And one project built on Wikidata’s data actually got the recognition even earlier in September 2022: GovDirectory – a crowdsourced and fact-checked directory of official governmental online accounts and services around the globe. Now, since October 2025, Wikidata is also an official part of the DPG Registry, maintained by the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA) Secretariat – a recognition that underscores the importance of open-source solutions.
Wikidata’s Significance for a Free Internet
As probably everyone of the Movement knows, Wikidata isn’t just a traditional database, but a knowledge graph. It connects information like points on a map – creating relationships and meaning: Berlin – capital city – Germany. This makes knowledge not just available, but understood in context.
Wikidata’s data is open, freely accessible, reusable, and machine-readable – both understandable to humans and processable by computers. The knowledge graph currently comprises over 119 million entries, which are maintained and expanded by around 24,000 volunteers worldwide. One important goal is to make the knowledge of underrepresented communities visible – in their languages and from their perspectives.
Built on MediaWiki and extended through Wikibase, Wikidata enables structured, linked data across projects – connecting information from Wikipedia, Wikivoyage, Wikisource, and beyond.
A Data Backbone for an Open Internet
All content in Wikidata is released under CC0, free of copyright restrictions. Anyone can use, share, and build upon it. Each entry can be backed by reliable sources – scientific literature, official data, or trusted media.
Today, Wikidata powers a wide range of applications – from travel apps like KDE Itinerary, to to film streaming services such as Wikiflix, learning tools like the language keyboard app Scribe, to political information platforms such as Govdirectory, and even games such as Flashbackfiesta. Wikidata has thus long since become a central pillar of an open, transparent internet.
“Wikidata shows that technology can serve people – and not the other way around. It is an alternative to data monopolies and closed systems and a place where a global community works together to make knowledge openly, freely, and reliably available. We see its recognition as a digital public good as a particular honor for the work of the many volunteers who have made Wikidata what it is today. Together, we are creating an internet that is more equitable, transparent, and human.”
– Lydia Pintscher, Wikidata Portfolio Lead at Wikimedia Deutschland
The Idea Behind Digital Public Goods
The DPGA is a multi-stakeholder UN-endorsed initiative that facilitates the discovery and deployment of open-source technologies, bringing together countries and organisations to create a thriving global ecosystem for DPGs and helping to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015.
Only projects that meet certain criteria – such as transparency, data protection, openness, and social benefit – are included in the DPG Registry. The initiative aims to harness the potential of open-source technologies to create a more equitable and sustainable digital world and support the SDGs.
“The recognition of Wikidata as a digital public good is a validation of the model that powers this effort and a pivotal moment for the future of shared digital infrastructure. This is not just a database; it is a verifiable, machine-readable knowledge graph that serves as a critical layer for the open internet. Wikidata’s commitment to the highest standards of openness, transparency, and do no harm, is the foundation for a more equitable digital future built by the community for the community.”
– Ricardo Miron, CTO at DPGA Secretariat
Wikidata contributes to six of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals. For quality education (SDG 4), Wikidata provides free and open access to knowledge, thereby supporting learning without barriers. Gender equality (SDG 5) is promoted by freely available data that increases the visibility of women in politics, science, and many other areas. The goal of decent work and economic growth (SDG 8) benefits from open data that supports innovation, research, and digital skills. For industry, innovation, and infrastructure (SDG 9), Wikidata provides an open data infrastructure that advances technology, education, and research. SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities is also promoted, as people worldwide – regardless of language, origin, or social background – can contribute and use knowledge. Finally, Wikidata contributes to SDG 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions by strengthening transparent, verifiable information and evidence-based decisions.
What the Recognition Means for Wikidata
Being listed in the DPG Registry is far more than symbolic. It represents:
- Appreciation & International recognition
Wikidata is perceived as a central element of a free and fair internet – an open, transparent alternative to proprietary data platforms. - New collaborations and partnerships
The recognition opens up new opportunities to collaborate with governments, research institutions, and civil society organizations to make knowledge globally accessible and interoperable. Moreover, other digital projects can benefit from leveraging the open data made available through Wikidata – for instance, open AI systems that aim to strengthen their eligibility for DPG recognition. - Trust and long-term sustainability
DPG verification demonstrates that Wikidata meets the highest standards of openness, security, and ethical use – and strengthens trust in the project and in open knowledge projects worldwide.
Wikidata shows how technology can contribute to the common good – openly, collaboratively, and sustainably. Recognition as a DPG makes clear that Wikidata is much more than an open knowledge project. It is a foundation for digital self-determination, for transparent information, and for an internet that truly serves people.
💚 This recognition belongs to everyone who contributes to Wikidata – and to all volunteers across Wikimedia projects who make open knowledge a reality every day.
Together, you’re shaping not only a freer and fairer internet — but a better digital future for all people! 💚
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