Elon Musk Dangles $1 Billion for Wikipedia to Become ‘Dickipedia’
Elon Musk Dangles $1 Billion for Wikipedia to Become ‘Dickipedia’
In a move that continues to blur the lines between high-stakes trolling and genuine critique, tech billionaire Elon Musk has repeatedly renewed his public offer to donate $1 billion to the Wikimedia Foundation. The condition? Wikipedia, the world’s largest online encyclopedia, must change its name to “Dickipedia” for a full year.
The audacious proposal, first floated by Musk in October 2023, has become a recurring theme on his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter). The offer is the latest and most flamboyant salvo in Musk’s ongoing campaign against the online encyclopedia’s operational and editorial practices.
At the heart of Musk’s criticism is the Wikimedia Foundation’s persistent fundraising appeals. Despite Wikipedia being one of the most visited websites globally, its non-profit parent organization frequently runs banner ads asking users for donations. Musk has publicly questioned the necessity of these large-scale campaigns, suggesting that the operational costs for the site should be a fraction of the funds raised. “I will give them a billion dollars if they change their name to Dickipedia,” he posted on X, adding in a follow-up, “(Please add that to the 🐄-poop on my wiki page).”
Beyond the financial critique, Musk has also taken aim at what he perceives as a significant political bias within Wikipedia’s content. He has previously encouraged his massive following to cease donations to the platform, labeling it “Wokepedia” and accusing its volunteer editors of enforcing a left-leaning narrative on various topics.
The offer, while seemingly a joke, is viewed by many as Musk’s method of using his immense wealth and platform to spotlight his concerns. It forces a conversation about the transparency and neutrality of one of the internet’s most trusted sources of information.
To date, the Wikimedia Foundation has refused to be drawn into the spectacle, offering no official response to Musk’s proposition. This silence has been interpreted as a dismissal of an offer not made in good faith.
However, Wikipedia’s co-founder, Jimmy Wales, has indirectly addressed the broader criticisms. Without naming Musk, Wales has defended the platform’s integrity and funding model. He suggested that the criticism might stem from frustration that Wikipedia is “not for sale,” a stark contrast to platforms that can be bought and influenced. Wales has continued to encourage the public to support Wikipedia’s mission, framing donations as a way to preserve a resource dedicated to neutral, factual information rather than profit or the whims of a single individual.
The billion-dollar question, therefore, hangs in the digital ether—a symbol of the ongoing clash between the established, collaborative model of the old internet and the disruptive, personality-driven force of new tech power. For now, Wikipedia remains Wikipedia, and Musk’s billion-dollar taunt remains just that: a provocative challenge waiting for an answer that will likely never come.
