Elon Musk sparked amusement and backlash online after tweeting he would donate $1 billion to Wikipedia if they agreed to temporarily rename their site to “Dickipedia.”
Billionaire Proposes Controversial Name Change
On Sunday, the billionaire Tesla CEO took to social media to make a provocative offer to the popular online encyclopedia. Elon Musk said he would give Wikipedia $1 billion on the condition they alter their name to “Dickipedia.”
His tweet also requested the name change be noted on his own Wikipedia page “in the interests of accuracy.” Musk offered to keep the new moniker in place a minimum of one year.
I will give them a billion dollars if they change their name to Dickipedia https://t.co/wxoHQdRICy
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 22, 2023
Musk Criticized Wikipedia’s Fundraising Needs
Musk’s renaming proposal came shortly after he criticized Wikipedia’s fundraising efforts in an earlier tweet. He questioned why the non-profit needs so much money to operate the site.
“It certainly isn’t needed to operate Wikipedia. You can literally fit a copy of the entire text on your phone!” Musk tweeted. He asked what the substantial donations are used for.
Wikipedia’s own page on its finances explained the organization’s considerable operating expenses from hosting billions of page views and edits monthly.
Previous Clashes With Wikipedia Leadership
This is not the first time the tech mogul has sparred with Wikipedia. Co-founder Jimmy Wales criticized Musk in May for restricting content on X around Turkey’s election.
Wales accused Musk of making X more compliant with censorship and surveillance demands under his management. Musk previously suggested creating a site to let users rate journalists’ credibility.
Reactions Split Between Amusement and Criticism
Online reactions to Musk’s name change offer were mixed. Some found the provocative proposal humorous and encouraged Wikipedia to collect the pledged $1 billion.
But others called out the immaturity of the idea. They highlighted how Musk’s substantial wealth could be put to more meaningful use than juvenile renaming pranks.
Unlikely Wikipedia Would Accept Controversial Offer
Realistically, it is highly improbable Wikipedia’s non-profit foundation would ever agree to alter its name, even temporarily. The reputational damage would undermine its mission.
While Musk’s offer brought levity to some, Wikipedia relies on being viewed as a legitimate scholarly resource. A silly stunt name would compromise that perception.
In summary, Elon Musk’s suggested renaming drew chuckles from supporters but mostly scorn from critics. While well-intentioned, Wikipedia could never accept such an unprofessional rebranding, regardless of the money offered.