Marketplace Tech Wikipedia co-founder: Trust and empathy are essential
7 snips
Oct 28, 2025 
Join Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia and author of The Seven Rules of Trust, as he dives into the foundations of trust in digital communities. He discusses the open editing model that made Wikipedia thrive and shares insights on why startups should prioritize trust from the beginning. Wales also explores community-driven moderation versus centralized control, emphasizing a collaborative approach to tackling misinformation. Plus, he offers a light-hearted dad joke moment and a glimpse of hope regarding the role of AI in maintaining trust.
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Openness Built On Trust
- Wikipedia's openness depends on extending trust to the general public while keeping standards.
- Jimmy Wales credits that trust for Wikipedia outperforming toxic social media environments.
Design For Trust Early
- Young founders should proactively design for trust rather than react after a crisis.
- Jimmy Wales warns that ignoring trust risks existential failures like Airbnb's early crisis.
Airbnb's Trust Turning Point
- Airbnb learned trust the hard way when a renter trashed a property and the company faltered.
- That episode forced Airbnb to take trust and safety seriously to save the business.
