Larry Sanger, the co-founder of Wikipedia, has openly challenged Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter), regarding the potential involvement of the U.S. government in editing and monitoring content on the popular online encyclopedia.

Sanger, who left Wikipedia in 2002, took to X to request Musk’s help in determining if any branches of the U.S. government are paying employees to edit, monitor, update, or otherwise influence Wikipedia’s content.

In his post, Sanger wrote:

“Hi @ElonMusk. Wikipedia co-founder here. May I ask you to determine what branches of the U.S. government—if any!—have employees paid to edit, monitor, update, lobby, etc., Wikipedia? Such operations should be defunded, if any. If there are none, we’d like to know. Agree?”

Sanger further emphasized his stance, stating that if such operations exist, the funding should be withdrawn. However, if no such operations are in place, he expressed a desire for confirmation.

He also reminded his followers that he had departed from Wikipedia over two decades ago, and the website’s processes are, in his words, “almost as opaque to me as they are to you.” Additionally, he expressed long-standing concerns that Wikipedia’s content may be biased.

This public call to Musk follows a series of critical remarks from Elon Musk regarding Wikipedia. Notably, Musk referred to the platform as “Wokepedia” earlier this year, accusing it of ideological bias.

He further urged his followers to stop donating to Wikipedia until it “restores balance” in its editorial authority. Musk’s comments sparked a widespread debate over the role of Wikipedia as an information source, especially considering its non-profit status and its reliance on donations.

In response to Musk’s critique, Wikipedia issued a statement clarifying its mission. According to the statement sent to Newsweek, the funds raised by Wikipedia are used to promote “equity” by expanding the participation of people from diverse backgrounds in editing the content.

Funds directed toward “security and inclusion” are aimed at creating a safe and accessible environment for all users.

A spokesperson for Wikimedia, the organization that operates Wikipedia, explained:

“Wikipedia is built on the premise that it improves when more people from different perspectives, including differing political views, edit, curate, and research content.”

The ongoing discussions between Musk and Wikipedia raise important questions about the platform’s editorial processes, potential political influences, and its role as a trusted source of information in the digital age.

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