After Wikipedia spent $50M on DEI initiatives, Elon Musk urges his supporters to stop donating to the platform.
Elon Musk has publicly urged his followers to stop donating to Wikipedia after the Wikimedia Foundation allocated more than $50 million toward controversial diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Musk’s call for action follows concerns over the foundation’s spending and its political neutrality.
Elon Musk responds to Wikipedia’s $50 Million DEI Budget
On Tuesday, Musk used his X platform (formerly Twitter) to address the Wikimedia Foundation’s budget allocation.
He urged his nearly 210 million followers to “Stop donating to Wokepedia until they restore balance to their editing authority.” His statement followed a post by the right-leaning commentator “Libs of TikTok,” which highlighted the substantial spending on DEI.
Wikipedia’s 2023-24 budget totals $177 million, with 29%—or approximately $51.7 million—directed toward DEI-related projects.
This amount includes 17.6% for equity initiatives ($31.2 million) and 11.6% for safety and inclusion efforts ($20.5 million).
The largest portion of the budget, 48.7% ($86.1 million), is allocated for infrastructure.
Critics raise concerns over Wikipedia’s DEI spending
DEI, which aims to create a more diverse and inclusive workforce, has faced criticism, particularly from conservatives.
Critics argue that DEI policies foster reverse discrimination, disadvantageing white individuals, and de-emphasizing merit.
Despite these criticisms, many companies, including major corporations, have implemented DEI initiatives, especially after the death of George Floyd in 2020.
In recent months, however, some companies have rolled back these policies in response to public pressure from right-leaning influencers.
Firms like Walmart, Ford, and Boeing have reassessed their DEI strategies.
Wikipedia’s political neutrality and left-leaning bias
Wikipedia has long claimed to be politically neutral. However, studies suggest that the platform has a left-leaning bias.
A report from the Manhattan Institute earlier this year found that Wikipedia articles about right-leaning figures tend to be more negative than those about left-leaning figures.
This trend was evident earlier this year when Wikipedia edited an entry about Vice President Kamala Harris, removing her reference as a “border czar” after Joe Biden endorsed her for the 2024 election.
The decision sparked backlash, with some critics suggesting that Wikipedia’s editorial team was aligning with political agendas.
Concern over blas in Wikipedia’s editing and content
Larry Sanger, co-founder of Wikipedia, has voiced concerns over the platform’s editorial practices.
Sanger believes that left-leaning volunteers are selectively editing content to fit a particular political narrative.
He cited examples such as the suppression of the Hunter Biden laptop story, which he argued was removed by Democratic-leaning volunteers.
Sanger’s criticisms have led to tension with Jimmy Wales, another co-founder of Wikipedia.
Sanger contends that he was more involved in the site’s creation than Wales acknowledges. The two have disagreed publicly about their roles, further fueling the debate over Wikipedia’s editorial direction.
Elon Musk’s call for his followers to halt donations to Wikipedia is part of a broader debate about the platform’s spending on DEI initiatives and its political neutrality.
As Wikipedia continues to be scrutinized for its editorial practices and political biases, the controversy surrounding its budget allocation for DEI remains a significant topic of discussion.