Media Confidential

Elon Musk vs Wikipedia: Jimmy Wales on why democracy won’t survive without facts

The founder of Wikipedia joins Alan and Lionel to discuss trust in a post-truth world

January 19, 2026
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This week on Media Confidential, Alan and Lionel talk to Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia and the author of The Seven Rules of Trust

They discuss how the online encyclopaedia has evolved to deal with the rise of new digital challenges, like bots and AI. After Elon Musk branded the website “Wokepedia” and launched Grokipedia as a competitor, the trio discuss regulation, as well as how to address the threat from the far-right.

Plus, in an age of disinformation, how can platforms rebuild trust?