Edit-count gaming has to be a major component of this. Status on Wikipedia (whether you're given sysop/admin privileges, which include blocking users who annoy

Edit-count gaming has to be a major component of this. Status on Wikipedia (whether you're given sysop/admin privileges, which include blocking users who annoy you, etc.) is roughly proportional to one's edit count, so people who are trying to raise their <s>avatars</s> user accounts to <s>level 60</s> higher social status and privileges tend to generate large numbers of low-content edits.