Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia anyone can edit, frequently asks for donations throughout the year. One of its key donation drives is during the holiday season.
Now, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is urging his followers on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, not to donate to the collaborative platform.
Musk wrote: “Stop donating to Wokepedia until they restore balance to their editing authority.”
The post follows the Wikimedia Foundation’s release of a breakdown of its 2023-2024 spending goals. It revealed $50 million allocated to “equity, safety, and inclusion” initiatives.
The nonprofit organization’s website stated, “Supporting equity represents the second largest part of our programmatic work.”
While Wikipedia claims to be nonpartisan, a study conducted by the Manhattan Institute found a “mild to moderate tendency in Wikipedia articles to associate public figures ideologically aligned right-of-center with more negative sentiment than public figures ideologically aligned left-of-center.”
The June 2023 report also noted “prevailing associations of negative emotions (e.g., anger and disgust) with right-leaning public figures; and positive emotions (e.g., joy) with left-leaning public figures.”
In an interview with The Telegraph last year, Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales denied that Wikipedia is “woke.” However, he also said that the online encyclopedia is not immune to criticisms of bias, especially regarding its editorial processes.
In recent years, Wikipedia has faced various criticisms related to bias, particularly over how specific articles are edited. Critics argue that these edits reflect ideological, political or cultural influences.
For example, articles related to the COVID-19 pandemic have been subject to intense editing disputes. Some accuse Wikipedia of allowing misinformation or biased portrayals. This includes articles on vaccines, lockdown measures and the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Wikipedia’s coverage of the war came under scrutiny, especially from Russian state-backed critics, who accused the platform of anti-Russian bias.
Over the years, the Wikimedia Foundation has defended its nonprofit model and its reliance on donations. The foundation emphasizes that its mission is to provide free knowledge to the world without relying on advertising or paywalls, ensuring its independence.
It remains unclear how Musk’s comments will impact Wikipedia’s fundraising efforts.
