Wikipedia down: Online encyclopedia not working as pages fail to load for some users

A cyber attack on Wikipedia forced the website offline in several countries on Friday.

The online encyclopedia stopped working for users across Europe, and a number of places in the Middle East.

Wikipedia failed to load on desktops, tablets and mobile phones.

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Outages were reported shortly before 7pm, BST, according to the downdetector.com , which monitors websites.

“Wikipedia was hit with a malicious attack that has taken it offline in several countries for intermittent periods,” a spokesperson said late on Friday night.

Shape Created with Sketch. UK news in pictures Show all 50 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. UK news in pictures 1/50 6 September 2019 A bull bumps into a plain clothes police officer (left) while being walked by Prime Minister Boris Johnson during his visit to Darnford Farm in Banchory near Aberdeen. It coincided with the publication of Lord Bew's review and an announcement of extra funding for Scottish farmers PA 2/50 5 September 2019 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon cuts the hair of David Torrance MSP raising £1000 for the charity Maggie's Centre in Kirkcaldy at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh PA 3/50 4 September 2019 Australia's David Warner looks dejected after being dismissed by England's Stuart Broad during day one of the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford in Manchester. Getty 4/50 3 September 2019 Anti Brexit demonstrators attend a protest at Parliament Square. Lawmakers returned from their summer recess Tuesday for a pivotal day in British politics as they challenged Prime Minister Boris Johnson's insistence that the UK leave the European Union on 31 October, even without a withdrawal agreement to cushion the economic blow. AP 5/50 2 September 2019 Set building begins on Waterloo Place in Edinburgh ahead of filming for Fast and Furious 9. PA 6/50 1 September 2019 Members of the Royal Southern Yacht Club and the Island Sailing Club take part during the annual cricket match between the clubs, which takes place on the Bramble Bank sandbank in the middle of the Solent at low tide. PA 7/50 31 August 2019 Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate at Whitehall in London. SWNS 8/50 30 August 2019 One of the iconic 'Girl with Balloon' artworks by anonymous street artist Banksy is carried near one of the original locations the artwork appeared at on the Southbank in London. AP 9/50 29 August 2019 The sun rises over the sculpture "The Couple" by artist Sean Henry, at Newbiggin-by-the-sea in Northumberland. PA 10/50 28 August 2019 A person wearing a Boris Johnson 'head' digs a grave at the foot of a tombstone during a protest organised by Avaaz and Best for Britain, outside Downing Street in London. PA 11/50 27 August 2019 Nat Lofthouse statue is covered in flags at the University of Bolton Stadium, Bolton. Action Images via Reuters 12/50 26 August 2019 Performers take part in Notting Hill Carnival. Nearly one million people were expected to attend Sunday and Monday's carnival to celebrate Caribbean culture. AFP/Getty 13/50 25 August 2019 A competitor swims in the World Bog Snorkelling Championships in Llanwryd Wells, Powys. Reuters 14/50 24 August 2019 People flock to Bournemouth beach as a heatwave spells potentially record high temperatures for the bank holiday weekend. PA 15/50 23 August 2019 Fans of Bury FC deliver a symbolic coffin to the club's home at Gigg Lane as the continuation of their membership to the football league lies in doubt. The club will lose their membership at midnight if they don't find a buyer or prove that they have the means to pay off their debts. PA 16/50 22 August 2019 Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn and Shadow DEFRA Secretary Sue Hayman during a visit to Rakefoot Farm, Castlerigg, Keswick where they are highlighting the danger of a No Deal Brexit to sheep farmers. PA 17/50 21 August 2019 Festival goers walk along the towpath of the River Thames as they arrive for the Reading Festival at Richfield Avenue. PA 18/50 20 August 2019 Police officers gather to pay their respects at the scene near Ufton Lane, where Thames Valley Police officer PC Andrew Harper, 28, died on Thursday. Jed Foster, 20, has appeared at Reading Magristrates' Court where denied any involvement with the murder. PA 19/50 19 August 2019 A fire that broke out at the site of Village Bakery on Coed Aben Road, Wrexham Industrial Estate in Wales. Jord_wxm29/Twitter/PA 20/50 18 August 2019 England fielders crowd Pat Cummins as he see's out the final over during day five of the second Ashes Test match against Australia at Lord's Cricket Ground. The test ended in a draw. Getty 21/50 17 August 2019 Glew (centre) and Monroe Adams (right) pose for a selfie with a member of the public outside DragWorld London 2019, Europe's largest drag convention, featuring drag stars from the US and UK during a two-day event at Olympia, London. PA 22/50 16 August 2019 A grey seal with fishing net tangled around its neck amongst the colony on the beach at Horsey in Norfolk, as RSPCA data show the number of animals affected by plastic litter is at an all-time high, with incidents increasing by 22% in just four years. PA 23/50 15 August 2019 A flock of sheep are herded past government buildings in London by members of Farmers for a People's Vote, a campaign group. PA 24/50 14 August 2019 Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks during a press conference at the Mayflower Marina in Plymouth, southwest England, on August 14, 2019, ahead of her journey across the Atlantic to New York, aboard the Malizia II IMOCA class sailing yacht, where she will attend the UN Climate Action Summit next month. - A year after her school strike made her a figurehead for climate activists, Greta Thunberg believes her uncompromising message about global warming is getting through -- even if action remains thin on the ground. The 16-year-old Swede, who sets sail for New York this week to take her message to the United States, has been a target for abuse but sees that as proof she is having an effect. AFP/Getty 25/50 12 August 2019 A hare runs on a moor near Ripon, North Yorkshire. PA 26/50 11 August 2019 Britain’s Jamie Chadwick wins first-ever W Series title. She pocketed a prize of £410,000 and, having been signed as a development driver for Williams, she keeps up her hopes of making it into Formula One. Getty 27/50 10 August 2019 People gather on the beach as a raft carrying people dressed as clowns heads to shore during the annual Whitby Regatta in Whitby, England. At over 170 years old, the Whitby Regatta is thought to be the oldest sea regatta on the northeast coast of England and draws thousands of visitors each year. Getty 28/50 9 August 2019 Burryman Andrew Taylor, gets a nip of whisky using a straw, from resident Mary Hamblin, 82, as he parades through the town of South Queensferry, near Edinburgh, encased in burrs. The parade takes place on the second Friday of August each year and although the exact meaning of this tradition has been lost through the years it is thought to have begun in the 17th Century. The tradition is believed to bring good luck to the towns people if they give him whisky offered through a straw or a donation of money. PA 29/50 8 August 2019 A mosque is seen amongst residential housing from the air during a mass take off at the annual Bristol hot air balloon festival in Bristol. Reuters 30/50 7 August 2019 An Asiatic lioness eats meat during feeding time ahead of World Lion Day at London Zoo. Reuters 31/50 6 August 2019 Beer enthusiasts taste beer and ale during The Great British Beer Festival at Kensington Olympia in west London. The Great British Beer Festival, organised by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), brings hundreds of real ales, international beers and real ciders and perries under one roof. AFP/Getty 32/50 5 August 2019 Australia's Nathan Lyon celebrates after taking the wicket of England's Joe Root during day five of the first Ashes test at Edgbaston. The hosts were on the end of a thumping, as Australia won the first test by 251 runs. Getty 33/50 4 August 2019 Franky Zapata stands on his jet-powered "flyboard" prior to landing on St. Margaret's Bay in Dover, during his attempt to fly across the 35-kilometre (22-mile) Channel crossing. The Frenchman achieved his aim today, on his second attempt, after having spent years developing the jet-powered hoverboard. AFP/Getty 34/50 3 August 2019 A Cricket fan wears a Donald Trump inflatable, during day three of the first Ashes test cricket match between England and Australia at Edgbaston in Birmingham. AP 35/50 2 August 2019 An RAF Chinook helicopter flies in sandbags to help repair the dam at Toddbrook Reservoir which was damaged in heavy rainfall. PA 36/50 1 August 2019 Stuart Broad celebrates after taking the wicket of David Warner during day one of the first Ashes test between England and Australia at Edgbaston. England fans celebrated the loss of David Warner and Cameron Bancroft dismissals by waving sandpaper after they both faced bans for their roles in the Sandpaper scandal last year. Australia were all out for 284 after Steve Smith frustrated the hosts with a total of 144. He helped drag his side from 122-8. Getty 37/50 31 July 2019 A collapsed bridge near Grinton, North Yorkshire, after parts of the region had up to 82.2mm of rain in 24 hours on Tuesday. PA 38/50 30 July 2019 Acrobats Beren d'Amico, Louis Gift and Charlie Wheeller, from Barely Methodical Troupe perform a routine on Calton Hill in Edinburgh as they bring their debut show Bromance to the Edinburgh Fringe. PA 39/50 29 July 2019 Theresa the robotic waitress at The Tea Terrace's Cobham branch in Surrey. Theresa represents the 6th Generation of robotic waitresses which were first launched in Japan a few years ago. The robot comes with autonomous navigation; automatic obstacle avoidance, voice conversation, and automatic dish delivery. It integrates core technologies in automatic control, multi-sensor perceptual collision avoidance and route planning. PA 40/50 28 July 2019 Competitors during the World Stinging Nettle Eating Championship at The Bottle Inn in Marshwood. Competitors are served 2-foot long stalks of stinging nettles from which they pluck and eat as many leaves as possible. Getty 41/50 27 July 2019 A woman in character as La Muerte from film The Book of Life, during the MCM Manchester Comic Con which see thousands of sci-fi fans, gamers, comic collectors, movie buffs and anime enthusiasts visit Manchester Central. PA 42/50 26 July 2019 England's Jonny Bairstow takes the catch to dismiss Ireland's William Porterfield during their test march at Lord's. Ireland were bowled out for 38 in their second innings in just 15.4 overs - the second lowest total in Test match history. Action Images via Reuters 43/50 25 July 2019 Hamza and Haris splash in the water feature beside the National Football Museum in central Manchester, as the UK braces itself to encounter the hottest July day on record. PA 44/50 24 July 2019 Boris Johnson waves as he enters 10 Downing Street following his appointment as Prime Minster by the Queen. The former London mayor and foreign secretary won his leadership bid by beating Jeremy Hunt in the Tory race the day before. Theresa May stepped down following her resignation as Conservative Party leader on 7 June. EPA 45/50 23 July 2019 Swimmers have fun in the sea on a giant inflatable Flamingo, South Beach,Tenby, Pembrokeshire. Reuters 46/50 22 July 2019 New Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson addresses the audience onstage after she was named as Sir Vince Cable's successor. Swinson beat fellow candidate Ed Davey by 47,997 votes to 28,021 votes. Getty 47/50 21 July 2019 Adam Peaty broke his own world record in the men's 100 metre breaststroke at the World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. The 24-year-old smashed the previous record of 57.10 seconds he set at last year's European Championships to win in 56.88. In doing so, the Britain achieved one of his career goals of becoming the first man to break the 57-second barrier in the event. Reuters 48/50 20 July 2019 London artist Helen Marshall's People's Moon project, a giant photographic mosaic shown at the exact hour 50 years ago that Apollo 11 landed the first people on the Moon, at Piccadilly Circus, London. PA 49/50 19 July 2019 Players from Uganda and Malawi during their Netball World Cup match at the M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool. PA 50/50 18 July 2019 Artist Steve Messam poses next to his monumental landscape artwork 'Hush' which hangs in the moors of Teesdale on July 18, 2019 in Barnard Castle, England. The outdoor installation is inspired by the geology, mining history and landscape of the area. The North Pennines AONB Partnership commissioned the installation which hangs over Bales Hush, a deep gauge in the terrain created when miners flushed the area with water to reveal the geological riches below. Hundreds of metres of recyclable saffron yellow fabric blow in the wind. Getty 1/50 6 September 2019 A bull bumps into a plain clothes police officer (left) while being walked by Prime Minister Boris Johnson during his visit to Darnford Farm in Banchory near Aberdeen. It coincided with the publication of Lord Bew's review and an announcement of extra funding for Scottish farmers PA 2/50 5 September 2019 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon cuts the hair of David Torrance MSP raising £1000 for the charity Maggie's Centre in Kirkcaldy at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh PA 3/50 4 September 2019 Australia's David Warner looks dejected after being dismissed by England's Stuart Broad during day one of the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford in Manchester. Getty 4/50 3 September 2019 Anti Brexit demonstrators attend a protest at Parliament Square. Lawmakers returned from their summer recess Tuesday for a pivotal day in British politics as they challenged Prime Minister Boris Johnson's insistence that the UK leave the European Union on 31 October, even without a withdrawal agreement to cushion the economic blow. AP 5/50 2 September 2019 Set building begins on Waterloo Place in Edinburgh ahead of filming for Fast and Furious 9. PA 6/50 1 September 2019 Members of the Royal Southern Yacht Club and the Island Sailing Club take part during the annual cricket match between the clubs, which takes place on the Bramble Bank sandbank in the middle of the Solent at low tide. PA 7/50 31 August 2019 Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate at Whitehall in London. SWNS 8/50 30 August 2019 One of the iconic 'Girl with Balloon' artworks by anonymous street artist Banksy is carried near one of the original locations the artwork appeared at on the Southbank in London. AP 9/50 29 August 2019 The sun rises over the sculpture "The Couple" by artist Sean Henry, at Newbiggin-by-the-sea in Northumberland. PA 10/50 28 August 2019 A person wearing a Boris Johnson 'head' digs a grave at the foot of a tombstone during a protest organised by Avaaz and Best for Britain, outside Downing Street in London. PA 11/50 27 August 2019 Nat Lofthouse statue is covered in flags at the University of Bolton Stadium, Bolton. Action Images via Reuters 12/50 26 August 2019 Performers take part in Notting Hill Carnival. Nearly one million people were expected to attend Sunday and Monday's carnival to celebrate Caribbean culture. AFP/Getty 13/50 25 August 2019 A competitor swims in the World Bog Snorkelling Championships in Llanwryd Wells, Powys. Reuters 14/50 24 August 2019 People flock to Bournemouth beach as a heatwave spells potentially record high temperatures for the bank holiday weekend. PA 15/50 23 August 2019 Fans of Bury FC deliver a symbolic coffin to the club's home at Gigg Lane as the continuation of their membership to the football league lies in doubt. The club will lose their membership at midnight if they don't find a buyer or prove that they have the means to pay off their debts. PA 16/50 22 August 2019 Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn and Shadow DEFRA Secretary Sue Hayman during a visit to Rakefoot Farm, Castlerigg, Keswick where they are highlighting the danger of a No Deal Brexit to sheep farmers. PA 17/50 21 August 2019 Festival goers walk along the towpath of the River Thames as they arrive for the Reading Festival at Richfield Avenue. PA 18/50 20 August 2019 Police officers gather to pay their respects at the scene near Ufton Lane, where Thames Valley Police officer PC Andrew Harper, 28, died on Thursday. Jed Foster, 20, has appeared at Reading Magristrates' Court where denied any involvement with the murder. PA 19/50 19 August 2019 A fire that broke out at the site of Village Bakery on Coed Aben Road, Wrexham Industrial Estate in Wales. Jord_wxm29/Twitter/PA 20/50 18 August 2019 England fielders crowd Pat Cummins as he see's out the final over during day five of the second Ashes Test match against Australia at Lord's Cricket Ground. The test ended in a draw. Getty 21/50 17 August 2019 Glew (centre) and Monroe Adams (right) pose for a selfie with a member of the public outside DragWorld London 2019, Europe's largest drag convention, featuring drag stars from the US and UK during a two-day event at Olympia, London. PA 22/50 16 August 2019 A grey seal with fishing net tangled around its neck amongst the colony on the beach at Horsey in Norfolk, as RSPCA data show the number of animals affected by plastic litter is at an all-time high, with incidents increasing by 22% in just four years. PA 23/50 15 August 2019 A flock of sheep are herded past government buildings in London by members of Farmers for a People's Vote, a campaign group. PA 24/50 14 August 2019 Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks during a press conference at the Mayflower Marina in Plymouth, southwest England, on August 14, 2019, ahead of her journey across the Atlantic to New York, aboard the Malizia II IMOCA class sailing yacht, where she will attend the UN Climate Action Summit next month. - A year after her school strike made her a figurehead for climate activists, Greta Thunberg believes her uncompromising message about global warming is getting through -- even if action remains thin on the ground. The 16-year-old Swede, who sets sail for New York this week to take her message to the United States, has been a target for abuse but sees that as proof she is having an effect. AFP/Getty 25/50 12 August 2019 A hare runs on a moor near Ripon, North Yorkshire. PA 26/50 11 August 2019 Britain’s Jamie Chadwick wins first-ever W Series title. She pocketed a prize of £410,000 and, having been signed as a development driver for Williams, she keeps up her hopes of making it into Formula One. Getty 27/50 10 August 2019 People gather on the beach as a raft carrying people dressed as clowns heads to shore during the annual Whitby Regatta in Whitby, England. At over 170 years old, the Whitby Regatta is thought to be the oldest sea regatta on the northeast coast of England and draws thousands of visitors each year. Getty 28/50 9 August 2019 Burryman Andrew Taylor, gets a nip of whisky using a straw, from resident Mary Hamblin, 82, as he parades through the town of South Queensferry, near Edinburgh, encased in burrs. The parade takes place on the second Friday of August each year and although the exact meaning of this tradition has been lost through the years it is thought to have begun in the 17th Century. The tradition is believed to bring good luck to the towns people if they give him whisky offered through a straw or a donation of money. PA 29/50 8 August 2019 A mosque is seen amongst residential housing from the air during a mass take off at the annual Bristol hot air balloon festival in Bristol. Reuters 30/50 7 August 2019 An Asiatic lioness eats meat during feeding time ahead of World Lion Day at London Zoo. Reuters 31/50 6 August 2019 Beer enthusiasts taste beer and ale during The Great British Beer Festival at Kensington Olympia in west London. The Great British Beer Festival, organised by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), brings hundreds of real ales, international beers and real ciders and perries under one roof. AFP/Getty 32/50 5 August 2019 Australia's Nathan Lyon celebrates after taking the wicket of England's Joe Root during day five of the first Ashes test at Edgbaston. The hosts were on the end of a thumping, as Australia won the first test by 251 runs. Getty 33/50 4 August 2019 Franky Zapata stands on his jet-powered "flyboard" prior to landing on St. Margaret's Bay in Dover, during his attempt to fly across the 35-kilometre (22-mile) Channel crossing. The Frenchman achieved his aim today, on his second attempt, after having spent years developing the jet-powered hoverboard. AFP/Getty 34/50 3 August 2019 A Cricket fan wears a Donald Trump inflatable, during day three of the first Ashes test cricket match between England and Australia at Edgbaston in Birmingham. AP 35/50 2 August 2019 An RAF Chinook helicopter flies in sandbags to help repair the dam at Toddbrook Reservoir which was damaged in heavy rainfall. PA 36/50 1 August 2019 Stuart Broad celebrates after taking the wicket of David Warner during day one of the first Ashes test between England and Australia at Edgbaston. England fans celebrated the loss of David Warner and Cameron Bancroft dismissals by waving sandpaper after they both faced bans for their roles in the Sandpaper scandal last year. Australia were all out for 284 after Steve Smith frustrated the hosts with a total of 144. He helped drag his side from 122-8. Getty 37/50 31 July 2019 A collapsed bridge near Grinton, North Yorkshire, after parts of the region had up to 82.2mm of rain in 24 hours on Tuesday. PA 38/50 30 July 2019 Acrobats Beren d'Amico, Louis Gift and Charlie Wheeller, from Barely Methodical Troupe perform a routine on Calton Hill in Edinburgh as they bring their debut show Bromance to the Edinburgh Fringe. PA 39/50 29 July 2019 Theresa the robotic waitress at The Tea Terrace's Cobham branch in Surrey. Theresa represents the 6th Generation of robotic waitresses which were first launched in Japan a few years ago. The robot comes with autonomous navigation; automatic obstacle avoidance, voice conversation, and automatic dish delivery. It integrates core technologies in automatic control, multi-sensor perceptual collision avoidance and route planning. PA 40/50 28 July 2019 Competitors during the World Stinging Nettle Eating Championship at The Bottle Inn in Marshwood. Competitors are served 2-foot long stalks of stinging nettles from which they pluck and eat as many leaves as possible. Getty 41/50 27 July 2019 A woman in character as La Muerte from film The Book of Life, during the MCM Manchester Comic Con which see thousands of sci-fi fans, gamers, comic collectors, movie buffs and anime enthusiasts visit Manchester Central. PA 42/50 26 July 2019 England's Jonny Bairstow takes the catch to dismiss Ireland's William Porterfield during their test march at Lord's. Ireland were bowled out for 38 in their second innings in just 15.4 overs - the second lowest total in Test match history. Action Images via Reuters 43/50 25 July 2019 Hamza and Haris splash in the water feature beside the National Football Museum in central Manchester, as the UK braces itself to encounter the hottest July day on record. PA 44/50 24 July 2019 Boris Johnson waves as he enters 10 Downing Street following his appointment as Prime Minster by the Queen. The former London mayor and foreign secretary won his leadership bid by beating Jeremy Hunt in the Tory race the day before. Theresa May stepped down following her resignation as Conservative Party leader on 7 June. EPA 45/50 23 July 2019 Swimmers have fun in the sea on a giant inflatable Flamingo, South Beach,Tenby, Pembrokeshire. Reuters 46/50 22 July 2019 New Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson addresses the audience onstage after she was named as Sir Vince Cable's successor. Swinson beat fellow candidate Ed Davey by 47,997 votes to 28,021 votes. Getty 47/50 21 July 2019 Adam Peaty broke his own world record in the men's 100 metre breaststroke at the World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. The 24-year-old smashed the previous record of 57.10 seconds he set at last year's European Championships to win in 56.88. In doing so, the Britain achieved one of his career goals of becoming the first man to break the 57-second barrier in the event. Reuters 48/50 20 July 2019 London artist Helen Marshall's People's Moon project, a giant photographic mosaic shown at the exact hour 50 years ago that Apollo 11 landed the first people on the Moon, at Piccadilly Circus, London. PA 49/50 19 July 2019 Players from Uganda and Malawi during their Netball World Cup match at the M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool. PA 50/50 18 July 2019 Artist Steve Messam poses next to his monumental landscape artwork 'Hush' which hangs in the moors of Teesdale on July 18, 2019 in Barnard Castle, England. The outdoor installation is inspired by the geology, mining history and landscape of the area. The North Pennines AONB Partnership commissioned the installation which hangs over Bales Hush, a deep gauge in the terrain created when miners flushed the area with water to reveal the geological riches below. Hundreds of metres of recyclable saffron yellow fabric blow in the wind. Getty

“The attack is ongoing and our Site Reliability Engineering team is working hard to stop it and restore access to the site.

“As one of the world’s most popular sites, Wikipedia sometimes attracts “bad faith” actors. Along with the rest of the web, we operate in an increasingly sophisticated and complex environment where threats are continuously evolving.”

The spokesperson added: “We condemn these sorts of attacks. They’re not just about taking Wikipedia offline. Takedown attacks threaten everyone’s fundamental rights to freely access and share information.

“We in the Wikimedia movement and Foundation are committed to protecting these rights for everyone.”

The UK was heavily affected and there were reports of the site being down in Poland, France, Germany and Italy.

“The Wikimedia server...is currently being paralysed by a massive and very broad [distributed denial of service] attack,” read a tweet posted during the outage on Wikimedia’s German Twitter account.

A distributed denial of service [DDOS] attack occurs when a huge network of computers all try to access a certain website or internet service at the same time, causing it to collapse under the strain of too much traffic.

The majority of the computers used in these attacks are ‘bot’ computers - ordinary personal computers that have been infected with malware, putting them partially under the control of hackers.

These networks, or ‘botnets’, can be made up of tens of thousands of computers, which have been compromised by malicious hackers without the knowledge of their owners.

When an attack begins, the hackers in charge of a botnet issue instructions to all the computers to access a certain website at the same time, repeatedly.

Bombarded by massive amounts of traffic, a website can collapse.

The attack on Wikipedia comes just months after Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp stopped working simultaneously in July.

Wikipedia also suffered an outage affecting hundreds of users in September 2017.

The online encyclopaedia is used widely across the world.

There are Wikipedia sites in 300 different languages, with some 46 million articles accessed by 1.4 billion unique devices every single month, according to figures from 2018.

Wikimedia is a charitable foundation that runs entirely on donations.

There are fewer than 400 full-time staff working for the foundation worldwide.