Opening Bid Unfiltered Wikipedia's founder explains social media's trust problem
Nov 3, 2025
Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia and author of The 7 Rules of Trust, explores the complexities of trust in the digital age. He discusses Wikipedia's unique nonprofit model and its commitment to neutrality amidst accusations of bias. Wales critiques social media's divisive nature, highlighting the toxic algorithms that undermine trust. He shares insights on rebuilding societal trust through transparency and community engagement, and envisions Wikipedia's enduring role as a reliable information source in the face of AI challenges.
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Wikipedia As Global Information Utility
- Wikipedia reaches over 2 billion unique devices and tens of billions of page views monthly, making it a global information utility.
- Major large language models rely heavily on Wikipedia as a foundational knowledge source.
Kids In A Dominican Slum Using Wikipedia
- Jimmy Wales recalls visiting a school in a Dominican Republic slum where all the kids used Wikipedia.
- He found that real-world use surprising and inspiring, showing deep reach beyond wealthy areas.
Volunteer-Driven Editorial Control
- Wikipedia content is created and governed by volunteers, not the Wikimedia Foundation staff.
- This volunteer community determines content, front-page choices, and democratic editorial processes.
