Wikipedia, the world’s most popular free online encyclopedia, has come under fire from Elon Musk, the visionary behind Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink. Musk recently criticized Wikipedia’s budget allocation for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and urged his followers to stop donating to the platform.
In response to an X (formerly Twitter) post by “Libs of TikTok,” Musk stated, “Stop donating to Wikipedia until they restore balance to their editing.” The post highlighted that 29% of Wikipedia’s $177 million budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year is allocated to equity and safety programs.
This isn’t Musk’s first controversy with Wikipedia. In October 2023, he offered a $1 billion donation to the platform but on the condition that it rename itself “Dickipedia.” The Wikimedia Foundation, which operates Wikipedia, rejected the proposal. Musk, however, recently reiterated his donation offer, suggesting it still stands.
Defending itself, the Wikimedia Foundation declared its commitment to political neutrality. They clarified that equity programs receive 17.6% of the budget, safety and inclusion receive 11.6%, while 48.7% is dedicated to infrastructure, and 22.2% to operational improvements.
Musk’s remarks have sparked debate, raising questions about the balance between operational priorities and societal goals in global organizations.
