In a recent statement on his X platform, Elon Musk criticized Wikipedia for being too ideologically biased, calling the online encyclopedia “Wokepedia.”
An online encyclopedia corrupted by Wokism
Elon Musk did not mince his words when he accused Wikipedia of being influenced by a woke ideology which, according to him, distorts the information available on the platform. He points to a trend toward self-censorship, where conservative views on controversial topics like gender, identity or politics are systematically marginalized or even erased. Musk appealed to his millions of followers on X, urging them to boycott donations to Wikipedia until balance is restored to the publishing authority.
The problem for the billionaire lies in the fact that, under the guise of social progress, the platform's contributors would allow themselves to rewrite history or present facts through a specific prism that favors unique left-wing thinking.
“No one should trust Wikipedia”
Musk's criticism is echoed in the comments of Larry Sanger, one of the co-founders of Wikipedia. Sanger, who left the project in 2002, has since denounced what he perceives as the encyclopedia's leftward ideological shift. According to him, Wikipedia has been ideologically locked down by left-wing activists who censor information that does not correspond to their political agenda.
Sanger even declared that “no one should trust Wikipedia” because of these biases, turning the platform into a propaganda tool. This double criticism, coming both from an emblematic figure in the world of tech like Musk and one of the founding fathers of Wikipedia, highlights a potential crisis of confidence around the neutrality of the encyclopedia. Musk therefore wants to put Wikipedia in financial difficulty to force the platform to review its internal policy and give greater room to a certain form of objectivity.
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