In October 2023, Elon Musk, known for his provocative online behavior and willingness to push boundaries, made a headline-grabbing offer to Wikipedia, the world’s largest free online encyclopedia. Musk proposed to donate $1 billion to the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that operates Wikipedia, but there was a catch: the platform had to change its name to “Dickipedia” for at least one year.
Musk framed the offer as being “in the interests of accuracy,” suggesting that the name change would better reflect what he implied were questionable practices within the Wikimedia Foundation’s financial dealings.
In the original post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Musk openly questioned why the Wikimedia Foundation requires significant financial contributions to operate. He pointed out that the entire text of Wikipedia could theoretically fit on a smartphone, implying that its operational costs might not align with the substantial funding it receives.
Musk wrote:
“Have you ever wondered why the Wikimedia Foundation wants so much money? It certainly isn’t needed to operate Wikipedia. You can literally fit a copy of the entire text on your phone! So, what’s the money for? Inquiring minds want to know…”
To underline his point, Musk’s controversial follow-up offered the billion-dollar donation contingent on the name change.
He wrote:
“I will give them a billion dollars if they change their name to Dickipedia… in the interests of accuracy.”
The Wikimedia Foundation, unsurprisingly, rejected Musk’s offer. On Thursday, Musk posted that his billion-dollar offer is still on the table, writing:
In a separate post, Musk gave the online index another name: Wokepedia
In response to revelations about Wikipedia’s $50 million Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) budget, Musk urged people to stop funding the project, writing:
Stop donating to Wokepedia until they restore balance to their editing authority
Recently, public pressure campaigns by right-leaning influencers such as Robby Starbuck have prompted major corporations to walk back their DEI initiatives. Walmart, Ford Motor Company, Boeing, and Harley Davidson were among some of the major brands that have cut back on DEI programs in the workplace.
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Musk bought the social media platform Twitter for a whopping $44 billion in 2022 (and subsequently renamed it “X”) in an effort to safeguard free speech on the internet. Recently, Musk has joked on social media about purchasing MSNBC. Notably, Musk also joked about buying Twitter before ultimately purchasing it.
Musk’s antics often blur the line between humor, social commentary, and serious propositions. As the world’s richest person who has recently entered the political arena as an ally of President-elect Donald Trump, Musk’s statements carry a weight that increasingly influences public discourse. Even if Musk’s trolling tone is unserious, the underlying point remains regarding transparency in Wiki’s use of donor money and the push to end divisive DEI initiatives.
