Bloomberg Talks Wikipedia Founder Jimmy Wales Talks New Book
Oct 27, 2025
Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia and internet entrepreneur, dives into his new book, The Seven Rules of Trust. He discusses the timely need for trust-building in society, highlighting Wikipedia's unique community-driven approach that fosters reliability. Wales also tackles media polarization and suggests that transparency could enhance trust in journalism. Listeners learn how Wikipedia maintains its integrity despite outside pressures, emphasizing the importance of reliable sources in establishing facts.
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Purpose Keeps Communities Healthy
- Wikipedia's clear purpose — to build an encyclopedia — anchors community decisions and participation rules.
- That focused purpose prevents the engagement-driven toxicity common on social media platforms.
Sources Define What Counts As Fact
- Wikipedia relies on high-quality, traditional sources like academic journals and respected newspapers to establish facts.
- Jimmy Wales argues that treating reputable journals the same as social media sources is clearly wrong.
Partisan Chasing Breaks Shared Standards
- Media outlets chasing partisan audiences erode shared standards by emphasizing one-sided coverage.
- Wales notes reading both left- and right-leaning papers often reveals the need for middle-ground reporting.
