Elon Musk has urged his followers to stop donating to Wikipedia, accusing the platform of political bias and excessive spending on diversity initiatives. Musk's comments come amid revelations that the Wikimedia Foundation, which operates the online encyclopedia, allocated over $50 million of its $177 million annual budget to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.
The controversy began when a post from the conservative account "Libs of TikTok" highlighted Wikipedia's spending priorities. The account shared a pie chart showing that 29% of the foundation's budget was dedicated to equity and safety initiatives, compared to 49% for infrastructure and 22% for effectiveness. Musk amplified the criticism in a post on X, the social media platform he owns, writing, "Stop donating to Wokepedia until they restore balance to their editing authority."
Wikipedia, one of the world's most visited websites with billions of monthly views, has long faced accusations of political bias. Critics, including co-founder Larry Sanger, have alleged that the platform favors left-leaning perspectives while marginalizing opposing viewpoints. "Nobody should trust Wikipedia," Sanger said in 2021, asserting that the site's editorial policies allow volunteers to promote specific political agendas by excluding unfavorable content.
The platform's influence, combined with its open-editing model, has made it a focal point for ideological battles. A study by the Manhattan Institute earlier this year found that articles about right-leaning figures are more likely to include negative sentiment than those about left-leaning individuals. Other research has echoed similar findings, with some analysts describing Wikipedia as having a "mild to moderate tendency...to associate public figures ideologically aligned right-of-center with more negative sentiment than public figures ideologically aligned left-of-center."
The Wikimedia Foundation responded to the criticism by defending its budget priorities. In a statement, the organization explained that its equity initiatives are intended to make Wikipedia more inclusive and accessible to diverse communities. "Wikipedia is built on the premise that it becomes better when more people of different backgrounds-including political persuasions-source, edit, curate, and research content," a spokesperson said.
The foundation also addressed concerns about its safety and inclusion programs, now referred to as "Safety & Integrity." These efforts, according to the organization, focus on protecting free expression, combating censorship, and ensuring that Wikipedia remains accessible worldwide. "The goal centers on legal efforts that protect free expression, prevent censorship and advocate for laws and regulations that keep Wikipedia accessible for all to use," the spokesperson added.
Musk's criticism of Wikipedia is part of a broader trend of backlash against DEI initiatives, which gained prominence after the death of George Floyd in 2020. Many corporations embraced DEI policies at the time, but public pressure and economic considerations have led some, including Walmart, Boeing, and Ford, to scale back their efforts.
The timing of Musk's remarks adds another layer of complexity. As an influential supporter of Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, Musk has positioned himself as a critic of institutions he perceives as ideologically biased. His comments could affect Wikipedia's fundraising efforts, which depend heavily on public donations.
