Big Tech locks data away. Wikidata gives it back to the internet

"While tech and AI giants guard their knowledge graphs behind proprietary walls, a more open model is quietly powering innovative projects from São Paulo to Nairobi. Wikidata, the collaborative backbone behind Wikipedia's structured data, has become the world's largest free knowledge database. Lydia Pintscher, who leads the Wikidata project at Wikimedia Deutschland, oversees this enormous experiment in open collaboration. More than 25,000 contributors across 190 countries have built a database containing 116.6 million data points, edited nearly 500,000 times daily."

"Unlike with proprietary alternatives, anyone can access, query, and contribute to this growing repository of human knowledge. Developers can build upon this community-driven knowledge base without worrying about corporate gatekeepers or sudden API changes. Pintscher spoke with Fast Company about how open data challenges Big Tech dominance and enables innovation in underserved markets, and why transparency in knowledge graphs matters more than ever. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity."

"Govdirectory, making it easier for people to get in touch with their government and make their voices heard on topics that matter to them OpenSanctions, tracking politically exposed persons, their connections, and the sanctions imposed on them, ensuring that international sanctions are enforced Aletheiafact, a fact-checking project from Brazil combating misinformation Open Parliament TV, making it easier to track what politicians are saying in parliament about crucial issues"

Wikidata operates as the world's largest free knowledge database, built collaboratively by more than 25,000 contributors across 190 countries. The database contains 116.6 million data points and receives nearly 500,000 edits daily, and it supports open access, querying, and contribution by anyone. Developers can build tools on top of Wikidata without relying on proprietary APIs or facing sudden corporate gatekeeper changes. Open data from Wikidata challenges Big Tech dominance, enables innovation in underserved markets, and supports transparency in knowledge graphs. Grassroots projects such as Govdirectory, OpenSanctions, Aletheiafact, and Open Parliament TV leverage Wikidata for social good.

Read at Fast Company