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Justin Anthony Knapp (born November 18, 1982),[1] also known by his online moniker Koavf, is an American Wikipedia user who was the first person to contribute more than one million edits to Wikipedia.[2] As of September 2021[update], Knapp has made over 2.1 million edits on the English Wikipedia.[3] He was ranked No. 1 among the most active Wikipedia contributors of all time from April 18, 2012, to November 1, 2015, when he was surpassed by Steven Pruitt.
Justin Knapp | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Knapp in 2012 | |
| Born | Justin Anthony Knapp November 18, 1982 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
| Other names | Koavf |
| Education | Philosophy and Political Science, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis |
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Knapp attended Covenant Christian High School, where he enrolled in 1997.[1] He holds degrees in philosophy and political science from Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis.[4][5]
Wikipedia
Knapp announced his millionth edit to Wikipedia on April 19, 2012.[4] At the time, he had been submitting on average 385 edits a day since signing up in March 2005; about his performance he said: "Being suddenly and involuntarily unemployed will do that to you."[4] Margaret Ferguson, an associate professor of political science at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis and one of Knapp's professors, said she was not surprised by his dedication to editing Wikipedia.[6][7] In 2012, Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales congratulated Knapp for his work and presented him with the site's highest award for his achievement[8] by declaring that April 20 would be Justin Knapp Day.[9][10]
His Wikipedia username, Koavf, was chosen as an acronym for "King of all Vext Fans", a reference to a contest Knapp entered for Vext in the 1990s.[5] Knapp was a significant contributor to Wikipedia's bibliography of George Orwell,[11][12] and he has also made many edits involving the categorization of albums through Wikipedia's category structure.[13] In 2012, the Indianapolis Star reported that Knapp sometimes edited Wikipedia for as many as 16 hours a day.[7]
In a 2014 interview with Business Insider, Knapp said that "there is no typical day" with regard to his Wikipedia editing, and that his "go-to edits are small style and typo fixes". He also argued that the declining number of Wikipedia editors is "not necessarily a problem".[14] Knapp, who has been the subject of multiple blocks/bans from editing Wikipedia,[15] said in a 2015 interview with technology journalist Zachary Crockett that he "wouldn't be surprised if I've been banned more than anyone".[16] As of November 2024, Knapp is serving a minimum one-year ban from editing Wikipedia imposed on July 24, 2024, for "persistent disruptive and combative behavior over a prolonged period, and exhausting the community's patience".[17]
Activism
In 2005, at the United Nations Sixtieth General Assembly, Knapp advocated for the Sahrawi people and spoke about the situation in Western Sahara.[18][19] He has also been involved in community organizing for a Restore the Fourth rally in 2013.[20]
Other
Knapp has had several jobs, including delivering pizzas for the Indianapolis pizzeria Just Pizza,[21] working at a grocery store, and working at a crisis hotline.[22][14]
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