In a recent critique, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales has taken a swipe at X, formerly known as Twitter, after its acquisition by Elon Musk, accusing the platform of succumbing to an invasion of trolls and lunatics. This ongoing war of words between the tech titans has escalated since last year when Musk accused Wikipedia of having a “non-trivial left-wing bias.”
Wales expressed his concerns during the Web Summit tech conference in Lisbon, stating, “I think a lot of people are fleeing Twitter, a lot of thoughtful and serious people are fleeing Twitter.” He emphasized the significance of Twitter, now X, as the default public square for the world, lamenting that it’s now overrun by trolls and lunatics, which he deemed detrimental to everyone.
Research from analytics firm Similarweb supports Wales’ claims, indicating a decline in engagement metrics for X compared to the previous year. Despite the criticism, X did not provide a response when contacted by CNBC.
Wales, perhaps seeking an alternative to the challenges faced by X, launched Trust Cafe earlier this year. Described as a “pilot project,” Trust Cafe aims to foster a community of trustworthy individuals, offering a platform where content is valued for its trustworthiness rather than its viral appeal. Unlike X, Trust Cafe operates on a voluntary membership model rather than relying on advertising support.
Wales acknowledged the difficulty in convincing users to pay for the service but emphasized the need for a quality experience that enhances users’ lives. Trust Cafe allows users to post content in a manner reminiscent of X, categorized by topics such as technology or world news, as Wales seeks to provide an alternative space free from the alleged issues plaguing X.
Wales, perhaps seeking an alternative to the challenges faced by X, launched Trust Cafe earlier this year. Described as a “pilot project,” Trust Cafe aims to foster a community of trustworthy individuals, offering a platform where content is valued for its trustworthiness rather than its viral appeal. Unlike X, Trust Cafe operates on a voluntary membership model rather than relying on advertising support.
Wales acknowledged the difficulty in convincing users to pay for the service but emphasized the need for a quality experience that enhances users’ lives. Trust Cafe allows users to post content in a manner reminiscent of X, categorized by topics such as technology or world news, as Wales seeks to provide an alternative space free from the alleged issues plaguing X.