Billionaire Elon Musk has offered to pay Wikipedia $1 billion on condition that the website changes its name to “Dictionary.”
According to Yahoo News, Elon Musk, owner of X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter, mentioned the offer in a post on his website. Musk referenced a screenshot of a statement from Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales stating that the site was “not for sale.”
In 2023, Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, offered an astonishing $1 billion to Wikipedia on the condition that the platform change its name to “Dickipedia” for at least one year. Musk argued that this change would be in the name of “accuracy,” a statement that left many in the tech world confused and surprised. While many took the offer as a joke, the substantial amount offered was enough to attract media attention and spark debates about Musk’s ability to influence major public information platforms.
However, in December 2024, Musk reiterated his offer, suggesting that Wikipedia, with its massive database and global audience, could operate without additional funding if it accepted the deal. Despite the size of his proposal, Wikipedia has not responded publicly to Musk’s offer. Additionally, there is no credible information or reports suggesting that Musk ever specifically requested that Taylor Swift be removed from the platform, which seems to be a fabrication or misunderstanding.
This incident is just one of many controversial moments that Musk has created throughout his career, showcasing both his irreverent sense of humor and his tendency to make bold proposals that challenge established norms. However, such offers also raise questions about the influence of public figures on information platforms and their editorial policies.
Musk wrote: “I will give you a billion dollars if you change your name to Dickipedia.”
When one user, journalist Ed Krassenstein, suggested that the encyclopedia take him up on the offer, adding that “they might change the name again after they get Musk’s money,” Musk immediately responded that the site should keep the name for at least a year.
“At least a year. I mean, I’m not an idiot,” Musk said.
Musk’s proposal stemmed from an earlier post in which he criticized the Wikimedia Foundation for asking for too much funding. Musk commented: “It definitely doesn’t take that much money to run Wikipedia. You can literally copy the entire text onto your phone. So what’s the money for? Inquiring minds want to know.”
The Wikimedia Foundation later issued an explanation via its Community Notes, detailing that the organization handles “more than 25 billion monthly visits and over 44 million edits to the site each month, requiring significant operational costs.” They further explained that they use external financial auditors to publish transparent reports.
This is not the first time Elon Musk and Wikipedia have clashed. In May, Jimmy Wales criticised Musk for his decision to restrict certain content on X ahead of Turkey’s presidential election.
