This tweet generated widespread attention, accumulating 9.9 million views and over a hundred thousand likes
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has once again made headlines, this time by offering a staggering $1 billion to Wikipedia in exchange for a name change.
Musk, known for his candid and sometimes controversial posts on Twitter, proposed that Wikipedia rebrand itself as “Dickipedia” in the “interests of accuracy.” This announcement comes on the heels of Musk’s recent takeover of Twitter, which was subsequently rebranded as “X.”
In response to Musk’s offer, a Twitter user urged Wikipedia to accept the proposal. Musk, in his characteristic fashion, added a condition, stating, “@Wikipedia, do it! You can always change it back after you collect.” He further clarified, “One-year minimum. I mean, I’m a not fool lol.”
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Musk also shared a screenshot of Wikipedia’s homepage, which included messages such as “Wikipedia is not for sale” and “a personal appeal from Jimmy Wales.” Musk questioned the need for such significant funding by asking, “Have you ever wondered why the Wikimedia Foundation wants so much money? It certainly isn’t needed to operate Wikipedia.
You can literally fit a copy of the entire text on your phone! So, what’s the money for? Inquiring minds want to know…” Additionally, Musk humorously inquired about the possibility of adding a cow and a poop emoji to his Wikipedia page.
This tweet generated widespread attention, accumulating 9.9 million views and over a hundred thousand likes. Some users expressed scepticism about Wikipedia’s fundraising efforts, while others playfully suggested Musk was only willing to donate if the institution renamed itself in his honour.
This isn’t the first time Musk has been at the centre of social media discussions. Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales previously criticised Musk for complying with Turkish government requests to restrict content critical of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Musk’s decision to limit access to certain tweets rather than face a complete Twitter shutdown sparked a public exchange between the two notable figures.
The billionaire’s recent proposal to donate a significant sum to Wikipedia in exchange for a name change once again showcases his penchant for making headlines with his unconventional and often humorous social media posts.
