• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

AI CEOs from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Microsoft set aside their rivalry to warn Congress AI is making it too easy to design and create bioweapons

2

Billionaires Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg used mortgages to buy multimillion-dollar mansions. Here’s why that’s a savvy financial decision

3

Social Security faces a 24% cut in 2032—that's a $345 billion hit to retirees nationwide, watchdog says

1

AI CEOs from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Microsoft set aside their rivalry to warn Congress AI is making it too easy to design and create bioweapons

2

Billionaires Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg used mortgages to buy multimillion-dollar mansions. Here’s why that’s a savvy financial decision

3

Social Security faces a 24% cut in 2032—that's a $345 billion hit to retirees nationwide, watchdog says
FinanceRecession

The recession debate is so intense that Wikipedia has blocked new users from editing its recession page because people keep changing the definition

By
Christine Mui
Christine Mui
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Christine Mui
Christine Mui
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 29, 2022, 3:36 PM ET
Wikipedia's recession page on laptop
Wikipedia has blocked new users from editing its recession page because people kept changing the definitionPhoto Illustration by Fortune; Original Photos: Getty Images; Wikipedia

It seems that no one can agree on the definition of a recession, let alone if we’re in one right now. 

Some define it as two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth, no matter what other indicators—like a strong labor market—say about the economy. 

But others believe that it’s not officially a recession until the non-profit National Bureau of Economic Research says it is. The NBER defines a recession as “a significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and lasts more than a few months.” They often wait long after a recession has begun to make their final call. 

So it should come as no surprise that the recession debate raging around the country has spilled over into a fierce editing war over the Wikipedia page for “recession,” prompting the organization to stop new users, or anyone without an account, from making whatever edits they please.

Users have edited the page more than 180 times this week, according to its history. Before this week, the page saw just 24 revisions in 2022.

A lock icon now appears over the edit button, indicating that it is “protected to prevent vandalism.”

On Thursday, the Bureau of Economic Analysis released data showing that GDP fell 0.9% between April and June, marking two consecutive quarters of economic contraction. 

But on Wednesday, a Wikipedia site administrator named Anarchyte moved the recession page into semi-protected status. New users have to wait four days and make 10 edits on other pages before they can change any wording on the recession article, according to Wikipedia policy. When the pause lifts on Aug. 3, they can make edits again, but those will be reviewed by volunteer editors.

Anarchyte updated the site history, saying the page was about a “currently contentious” topic and had experienced “persistent addition of unsourced or poorly sourced content.” 

The top of the recession page now warns that further updates without valid and reliable references will get removed and reads: “This article may be affected by a current event. Information in this article may change rapidly as the event progresses.” 

The change even appeared to catch the attention of Elon Musk, who tagged Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales in a tweet, writing: “Wikipedia is losing its objectivity.”

The Wikimedia Foundation, a nonprofit that operates Wikipedia, told Fortune that volunteer editors—rather than any central body—control site content “using established policies around neutrality, reliable sourcing, and notability, among others, as the basis for those decisions.”

“It’s not uncommon for topics in the news to receive sudden interest on Wikipedia. Volunteer editors know this, and have created tools and mechanisms for responding to an influx of edits on articles that are in the public eye,” a spokesperson for the foundation said. “Protecting an article is one common tool they use.”

Wikipedia’s history of the page shows that most edits have gone back and forth about how to define a recession. 

One user added the line: “There is no global consensus on the definition of a recession,” which someone else later removed for seeming “too vague.” Other edits disagreed on whether to place a popular definition for a recession—two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth—higher in the article or further down.

On social media, people accused the recession Wikipedia page of trying to erase that popular definition to align itself with President Biden. On Thursday, after GDP data was released, Biden rejected the idea that the U.S. is in a recession, and instead touted continued job growth, low unemployment and growing investment from manufacturers. “That doesn’t sound like a recession to me,” he said. 

Although the actual recession Wikipedia page has been partially locked, editors have created a separate recession talk page for users to discuss improvements. One volunteer editor who works under the user name JPxG addressed the censorship concerns in an FAQ on the forum. 

The editor discredited rumors that Wikipedia had removed mention of two quarters of negative GDP growth from its recession definition and said any screenshots implying so are outdated. He added that the article has included that part of the definition since 2011.

“As far as I can tell, nobody ever messed with this,” JPxG said. “Right now, the article gives both that definition and the NBER definition, and takes no position on which is ‘correct.’”

Sign up for the Fortune Features email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews, and investigations.

About the Author
By Christine Mui
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

Here’s where U.S. debt may become unsustainable with interest payments triggering a default crisis that even steep tax hikes can’t fix
EconomyDebt
Here’s where U.S. debt may become unsustainable with interest payments triggering a default crisis that even steep tax hikes can’t fix
By Jason MaJune 6, 2026
3 hours ago
The Strait of Hormuz is more open than previously thought as the U.S. shoots down Iranian drones threatening ships and provides ‘naval overwatch’
EnergyIran
The Strait of Hormuz is more open than previously thought as the U.S. shoots down Iranian drones threatening ships and provides ‘naval overwatch’
By Jason MaJune 6, 2026
3 hours ago
Oil drilling rises in longest U.S. streak since 2022 on price bump
EnergyOil
Oil drilling rises in longest U.S. streak since 2022 on price bump
By Emma Sanchez and BloombergJune 6, 2026
5 hours ago
SpaceX and other mega IPOs may wait years to join the S&P 500
InvestingS&P 500
SpaceX and other mega IPOs may wait years to join the S&P 500
By Bailey Lipschultz, Vildana Hajric and BloombergJune 6, 2026
5 hours ago
Marvell Technology, Flex to join S&P 500 later this month
InvestingS&P 500
Marvell Technology, Flex to join S&P 500 later this month
By Isabelle Lee and BloombergJune 6, 2026
10 hours ago
Ukraine targets St. Petersburg after Putin refuses talks
EuropeRussia
Ukraine targets St. Petersburg after Putin refuses talks
By BloombergJune 6, 2026
10 hours ago

Most Popular

AI CEOs from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Microsoft set aside their rivalry to warn Congress AI is making it too easy to design and create bioweapons
AI
AI CEOs from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Microsoft set aside their rivalry to warn Congress AI is making it too easy to design and create bioweapons
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 5, 2026
2 days ago
Billionaires Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg used mortgages to buy multimillion-dollar mansions. Here’s why that’s a savvy financial decision
Real Estate
Billionaires Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg used mortgages to buy multimillion-dollar mansions. Here’s why that’s a savvy financial decision
By Sydney LakeJune 6, 2026
15 hours ago
Social Security faces a 24% cut in 2032—that's a $345 billion hit to retirees nationwide, watchdog says
Economy
Social Security faces a 24% cut in 2032—that's a $345 billion hit to retirees nationwide, watchdog says
By Nick LichtenbergJune 5, 2026
2 days ago
MacKenzie Scott's approach to her $26 billion giving spree was inspired by a book she read in college about writing
Success
MacKenzie Scott's approach to her $26 billion giving spree was inspired by a book she read in college about writing
By Sydney LakeJune 5, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 5, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 5, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 5, 2026
2 days ago
Ohio city workers are covering automated license plate readers with trash bags as officials sound the alarm on 'egregious violations' of privacy
Cybersecurity
Ohio city workers are covering automated license plate readers with trash bags as officials sound the alarm on 'egregious violations' of privacy
By Sasha RogelbergJune 3, 2026
4 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.