Wikipedia talk:Wikipedia is a social networking site

Wikipedia is a social networking site
Historically, many people have said that Wikipedia is not a social networking site. Wikipedia meets any definition of a social networking site, so people should say that it is a social networking site. If anyone has a definition of a social networking site which includes many of these list of social networking websites but excludes Wikipedia then I would like to see it. Certainly for the majority of Wikipedia users the project is an information source because their only interaction is in reading articles; however, the editing process is as social as any other collaborative project.

The best argument I have ever heard for defining social networking site in a way that excludes Wikipedia is the "majority use" argument. Since Wikipedia is 99% readers who do not use the platform socially and 1% content developers who interact with each other, then it is not a social networking site for the 99% majority and therefore ought not be called a social networking site at all. However, I feel that the impact the 1% of users have had on the world justifies using the term "social networking site". Wikipedia was not created by non-social individuals. There is a huge amount of communication between content developers. There is no other platform which could introduce people to each other in the way that Wikipedia can. Wikipedia is a place for certain people to meet other certain people and Wikipedia introduces these people on the basis of culture and interest. There is value to the mission statement in promoting the social aspect of this project and the development of the encyclopedia is advanced by the public's awareness of this social network.  Blue Rasberry   (talk)   13:24, 8 September 2012 (UTC)

Is there a userbox?
There was a userbox "Wikipedia is a social networking site" that still has a number of inclusions. But it was deleted, and I can't find an alternative. Does anybody know any, or I have to create one? When we get it, we'll have to include it in the link list of this essay. --ssr (talk) 17:40, 11 January 2015 (UTC)

fyi
Just as an FYI someone quoted this essay at me today to prove to me that WP was a social media platform. —valereee (talk) 22:07, 2 January 2022 (UTC)