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Wikipedia searches for better photos with new mobile apps

Wikipedia searches for better photos with new mobile apps

Wikimedia Commons app (STOCK)
Wikimedia Commons app (STOCK)

Anyone who spends a significant amount of time on Wikipedia is well aware that the user-created encyclopedia struggles to find high-quality photos to illustrate its entries. The Wikimedia Commons project exists to store photos and other media files for these pages, and today an official app is available for iOS and Android that makes it easy to upload pictures directly from your phone. Sure, smartphone pictures aren't "professional," but the app should help the Wikimedia Foundation amass an even more sizable database of pictures (it currently has over 16 million photos).

Perhaps more importantly, the apps may serve as a entry point for users intimidated by the Wikipedia editing process to contribute to what's become a system dominated by a few prominent editors. Anyone can upload pictures to Wikimedia Commons, and the database of photos will serve editors as they update current articles or create new ones. The mobile app merely allows users to upload, title, and tag photos from their camera or gallery; it's a simple affair (you'll need to use the full web app for more functionality) but it's functional. If you want to donate some of your pictures, you can download either app now — just keep in mind that you'll need to sign up for an account online first.