Score contribution per author:
α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count
Media is critical for gender equality. I analyze Wikipedia, one of the prominent examples of new media. Using data from a survey and a randomized survey experiment, I study why women are less likely to contribute to Wikipedia, the implications of the gender gap on Wikipedia’s content, and what can be done about it. I find that: (1) gender differences in the frequency of Wikipedia use and in beliefs about one’s competence explain a large share of the gender gap in Wikipedia writing; (2) the gender gap among contributors leads to unequal coverage of topics; (3) providing information about gender inequality has a large effect on contributions.