Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales critiqued the moderation policies of the social media platform X during an interview at Web Summit. He expressed concern that the platform has become dominated trolls and that many thoughtful and serious users are leaving as a result.
Wales’ comments come in the midst of an ongoing feud with X owner Elon Musk. According to Wales, X, formerly known as Twitter, has been taken over “trolls and lunatics.” He further criticized the platform, stating that it functions as the default public square for the world, and its current state is not beneficial for anyone.
This latest exchange between Wales and Musk is part of a larger dispute over ideological differences in moderating online media. Musk has accused Wikipedia of having a “left-wing bias,” while reaffirming his commitment to free speech on social media.
In response to X’s policies, Wales is now working on a pilot project called Trust Cafe, which aims to prioritize content based on “trustworthiness” rather than “viral likability.” This alternative platform will be funded voluntary memberships rather than advertisements, in a similar model to Wikipedia. However, Wales is uncertain about the viability of this business model, acknowledging that it is different from typical social media platforms.
Despite multiple requests for comments, representatives of X and Wales did not immediately respond.
The ongoing conflict between Wales and Musk, along with their differing approaches to online media, highlights the growing debate over content moderation and internet behavior.