# Larry Sanger > American former professor, co-founder of Wikipedia, founder of Citizendium and other projects (born 1968) **Wikidata**: [Q185](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q185) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Sanger) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/larry-sanger ## Summary Larry Sanger is an American former professor and internet entrepreneur best known as the co-founder of Wikipedia in 2001 and the founder of Citizendium in 2006. He played a pivotal role in establishing early models for collaborative online encyclopedias. ## Biography - **Born:** July 16, 1968, in Bellevue, United States - **Nationality:** United States - **Education:** Doctor of Philosophy (Ohio State University); Reed College - **Known for:** Co-founding Wikipedia (2001), founding Citizendium (2006) - **Employer(s):** Bomis, Nupedia, Citizendium, Ohio State University - **Field(s):** Computer science, philosophy, business ## Contributions Larry Sanger co-founded Wikipedia in 2001, a free multilingual online encyclopedia that revolutionized access to global information and became one of the world's most visited websites. He then founded Citizendium in 2006, aiming to create a higher-quality, expert-moderated encyclopedia. Sanger contributed significantly to establishing the foundational culture and early processes of collaborative knowledge building on the internet. His work directly influenced the development of modern open knowledge projects and the public's understanding of information sourcing and verification on the web. ## FAQs ### Q: What is Larry Sanger's role in Wikipedia? A: Larry Sanger was the co-founder of Wikipedia, participating in its creation alongside Jimmy Wales in 2001. He served as its chief organizer initially, helping to formulate early policies and operational procedures. ### Q: Why did Larry Sanger leave Wikipedia? A: While the specific reasons aren't detailed in the provided sources, Sanger left his paid roles with Wikipedia and its precursor Nupedia by the mid-2000s, subsequently founding Citizendium as a project with a different editorial approach. ### Q: What is Citizendium? A: Citizendium is a free online encyclopedia founded by Larry Sanger in 2006. It distinguishes itself by requiring expert editorial oversight and requiring real names from contributors, aiming to provide higher-quality and more reliable content compared to open models like Wikipedia. ### Q: What is Larry Sanger's academic background? A: Sanger holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree. He attended Reed College and Ohio State University for his studies. ## Why They Matter Larry Sanger fundamentally shaped the landscape of online knowledge dissemination. As co-founder of Wikipedia, he helped create a paradigm shift in how information is collectively produced and accessed globally, democratizing knowledge but also sparking ongoing debates about reliability and bias. His founding of Citizendium demonstrated his ongoing concern for quality and expertise in collaborative encyclopedias, influencing discussions about the trade-offs between openness and editorial rigor in digital reference works. His work laid the groundwork for modern crowdsourced knowledge platforms. ## Notable For - Co-founding Wikipedia in 2001, one of the world's largest and most visited websites. - Founding Citizendium in 2006 as an alternative encyclopedia model emphasizing expert editing. - Holding a Doctor of Philosophy degree and working as a professor (Ohio State University). - Developing early collaborative content models while employed at Bomis and Nupedia. - Maintaining an active online presence and commentary on knowledge management and digital media. ## Body ### Early Life and Education Larry Sanger was born Lawrence Mark Sanger on July 16, 1968, in Bellevue, United States. He is a citizen of the United States. He attended Service High School, Reed College, and Ohio State University, where he earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree. ### Career and Employment Sanger has worked as a philosopher, blogger, computer scientist, and businessperson. His notable employers include Bomis, Nupedia (where he served as editor-in-chief), Citizendium (as founder and director), and Ohio State University (as a professor). He resides in Columbus, Ohio. ### Wikipedia Co-Founding Sanger is a co-founder of Wikipedia, launched on January 15, 2001. He played a key role in its early development, initially as the editor-in-chief of its precursor, Nupedia. While employed by Bomis, he helped formulate the core collaborative principles and early policies of Wikipedia during its formative years. ### Post-Wikipedia Projects Following his departure from the core Wikipedia project, Sanger founded Citizendium in 2006. This project aims to create a free encyclopedia with expert oversight and contributor accountability, requiring real names and moderated expert editing. He continues to engage in writing and commentary on digital media and knowledge organization through his blog and various online platforms. ### Online Presence and Media Sanger maintains an active online presence. His website is located at https://larrysanger.org/. He has a verified Twitter account (@lsanger) and a YouTube channel (LarrySanger). He also has accounts on Reddit (LarrySanger), Odysee (@LarrySanger:7), and has participated in various media discussions and podcasts related to his work on encyclopedias and digital culture. His writing is primarily in English. ## References 1. [Source](https://betweenthebrackets.libsyn.com/episode-74-larry-sanger) 2. [Source](http://www.nndb.com/lists/511/000063322/) 3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013 4. Virtual International Authority File 5. [overview for LarrySanger](https://www.reddit.com/user/LarrySanger) 6. YouTube API 7. The Movie Database