Justin Anthony Knapp

Knapp has been banned from editing the site since July 2024.

Justin Anthony Knapp studied at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, Covenant Christian High School and University of the People. Training under Margaret Ferguson is recorded. The recorded working language is American English and Spanish. Places of work recorded in the authority are United States. Residence is recorded at Indianapolis. Employment is recorded with Indiana University and Covenant Christian High School. Distinctions recorded are Wikipedia:Justin Knapp Day.

• Birth Name — Justin Anthony Knapp • Born — 18 November 1982 • Birthplace — Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. • Other Names — Koavf • Education — Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis

Knapp attended Covenant Christian High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he enrolled in 1997. He holds degrees in philosophy and political science from Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis.

• Illustration — Knapp (third from left) at a Wikipedia training session in 2011 Knapp announced his millionth edit to Wikipedia on April 19, 2012. 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." 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. In 2012, Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales congratulated Knapp for his work and presented him with the site's highest award for his achievement by declaring that April 20 would be Justin Knapp Day. 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. Knapp was a significant contributor to Wikipedia's bibliography of George Orwell, and he has also made many edits involving the categorization of albums through Wikipedia's category structure. In 2012, the Indianapolis Star reported that Knapp sometimes edited Wikipedia for as many as 16 hours a day. 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". Knapp, who has been blocked from editing multiple times, said in a 2015 interview with technology journalist Zachary Crockett that he "wouldn't be surprised if I've been banned more than anyone". In July 2024, he was banned from the English Wikipedia following a community discussion.

In 2005, at the United Nations Sixtieth General Assembly, Knapp advocated for the Sahrawi people and spoke about the situation in Western Sahara. He has also been involved in community organizing for a Restore the Fourth rally in 2013.

Knapp has had several jobs, including delivering pizzas for the Indianapolis pizzeria Just Pizza, working at a grocery store, and working at a crisis hotline.