WikiHow is the world’s online user manual, featuring 100,000 how-to guides in English and another 300,000 in 18 other languages. There is an illustrated step-by-step for almost every social situation imaginable, including how to kiss someone, make friends and survive an ostrich attack. Even when you’re looking up something embarrassing or unpleasant—like how to find deleted texts on your partner’s phone—you’re in a kind, judgment-free environment. That’s intentional, says wikiHow CEO Elizabeth Douglas, and it reflects the ethos she and her team have built over the past 13 years.

STEPHANIE d’ARC TAYLOR: WikiHow has the reputation of being the nicest place on the internet. Have you nurtured this reputation intentionally? 

ELIZABETH DOUGLAS: Wi-kiHow was founded when Wikip...