Is Elon Musk Eyeing Wikipedia? A Surprising Acquisition Prospect

Elon Musk, the owner of the X app, publicly mocked the Wikimedia Foundation by questioning his vast following of over 160 million users about their thoughts on why the organization behind the Wikipedia-like website requires such substantial funding.

Unverified reports suggested that Wikipedia had requested financial support from its users. Concerns arose among several organizations, indicating the possibility of impending bankruptcy for the renowned platform.

However, subsequent clarifications revealed that the Wikimedia Foundation, a charitable non-profit organization, created the message. During that time frame alone, this foundation disclosed having raised an impressive $165.2 million in fiscal year 2022 through over 13 million generous donations.

The donation request kindly asks individuals who can contribute this year to consider joining the generous readers who donate. Musk recently clarified in an article that Wikipedia operates without the need for extensive funding. He emphasized, “You can literally store the entire text on your phone!”

Consequently, the Wikimedia Foundation was approached to evaluate the purpose of the funds for its inquisitive readers seeking explanations.

No Deal: Elon Musk Declares Wikipedia Unavailable For Purchase

Elon Musk, a prominent businessman with a keen focus on electric vehicles and space exploration, has always been vocal and controversial when it comes to the operations of media outlets. However, this characteristic was visible even before he took over and rebranded Twitter as the X app.

Among his multiple motives for the $44 billion acquisition, Musk stated his dissatisfaction with the company’s operations, infusing his usual controversial flair. He asserted himself as the formidable force that Twitter needed, contrasting against Parag Agrawal, who held the CEO position then.

He initially acquired a modest 9.2% stake in the X app. This resulted in an invitation to join the board of directors. However, he took it a step further and bought the entire company, becoming the CEO. In due course, he appointed Linda Yacarrino as his successor.

Jimmy Wales, the {{founder of Wikipedia, firmly asserts that he has no intentions whatsoever to sell the company. He expresses concerns regarding Elon Musk’s potential pursuit of a similar acquisition strategy as he previously undertook with Twitter.

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