Blog Post

Ritelink Blog > News > NEWS > Musk offers one billion dollars to Wikipedia, see why?

Musk offers one billion dollars to Wikipedia, see why?

Tech giants and billionaires often make headlines for their audacious and sometimes quirky ideas, Elon Musk has once again captured our attention. CEO of Tesla and SpaceX is known for his innovative spirit and a penchant for stirring the pot. Recently, Musk made a staggering offer.

In Elon Musk Wikipedia tweet that wen viral on X, the businessman offered one billion dollars to Wikipedia, one of the internet’s most venerable and valuable sources of information, if they change their name to… Well, ”D*ckipedia”.

See the Elon Musk Wikipedia tweet/xeet below.

https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=true&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1716102436123783175&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ghacks.net%2F2023%2F10%2F23%2Felon-musk-wikipedia-tweet%2F&sessionId=802447b3aecaf98fd293c8ded9c9d0393064ca33&theme=light&widgetsVersion=01917f4d1d4cb%3A1696883169554&width=500px

Elon Musk Wikipedia tweet’s unconventional offer

Elon Musk’s offer is a testament to his unique style. He has offered this billion-dollar donation to Wikipedia on one condition: they must change their name to “D*ckipedia”.

This unexpected and slightly eccentric proposition has sparked a whirlwind of reactions, raising questions about Musk’s intentions and the implications of such a change.

Unsurprisingly, the internet was quick to react to Musk’s proposal. Some found it amusing and in line with his well-known sense of humor, while others viewed it as an audacious stunt. There were debates about the potential impact of such a name change on Wikipedia’s credibility and reputation as a trusted source of information.

After all, the name “D*ckipedia” carries a very different connotation and could lead to various interpretations.

Why is Elon saying that?

Elon Musk Wikipedia tweet came after Musk criticized the Wikimedia Foundation for seeking substantial funding. He questioned the necessity of such financial support, suggesting that the entire text of Wikipedia could easily fit on a mobile phone. Musk’s curiosity led to a wave of inquiries about the purpose of the requested funds.

However, he didn’t have to wait long for an answer. The Wikimedia Foundation, responsible for Wikipedia’s operations, explained that their platform handles over 25 billion page views per month and manages over 44 million page edits monthly.

These staggering numbers reflect the substantial operating costs required to maintain the vast database of free information. Furthermore, the foundation maintains transparency by employing third-party financial auditors, whose reports are accessible to the public, ensuring accountability in their financial practices.

Elon Musk Wikipedia tweet
Elon Musk Wikipedia tweet came after a pop-up message in which the Wikimedia Foundation asked for financial support from their readers

Isn’t the first time

Musk’s interaction with Wikipedia goes beyond this recent donation offer. In the past, he clashed with Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales over content restrictions on the social media platform X in the lead-up to Turkey’s presidential election.

Musk’s decisions were criticized for potentially limiting free expression. Additionally, under Musk’s leadership, the social media platform was accused of becoming more compliant with government requests for censorship and surveillance.

In 2018, Musk further demonstrated his interest in journalism and information credibility by announcing his intention to create a website called “Pravda”.

The platform aimed to allow the public to rate the “core truth” of articles and track the credibility of journalists, editors, and their publications, emphasizing the importance of transparency and trustworthiness in the world of information but he decided to rebrand Twitter instead.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *