Conservatives Slam Wikipedia as 'Woke' And Its Own Co-Founder Agrees: 'It's Been Hijacked by the Left'

Wikipedia is once again in the midst of political controversy. Prominent conservative figures, from Elon Musk to Tucker Carlson, have accused the platform of liberal bias, and this time, one of its own founders agrees.

Larry Sanger, who co-created Wikipedia in 2001, now says the site has been 'hijacked by the left,' reigniting a debate about neutrality, ideology, and control over the internet's most influential reference source.

Conservatives Renew Attacks on Wikipedia's Neutrality

A recent Wall Street Journal feature highlighted growing anger among right-wing commentators who argue that Wikipedia has become a 'liberal echo chamber'. Critics claim the site systematically elevates mainstream liberal media, such asThe New York Times and CNN, while downplaying or rejecting right-leaning sources like Breitbart, The Daily Caller, and Fox News.

Elon Musk has taken the criticism further, calling Wikipedia 'woke' and suggesting it should be ' defunded'. He has even teased a rival platform dubbed Grokipedia, which he says would restore editorial balance. Meanwhile, conservative legal figures — including Ed Martin, US Attorney for the District of Columbia — have reportedly sent letters to the Wikimedia Foundation demanding explanations of its editorial oversight.

Larry Sanger's Inside Critique

Sanger, who left Wikipedia in 2002, has become an outspoken critic of the project he helped design. In a recent essay for The Free Press titled 'I Founded Wikipedia. Here's How to Fix It', he argues that the site has been overtaken by ideologues posing as neutral editors.

'It's been hijacked by the left,' Sanger wrote. 'Anonymous editors now shape content to fit a liberal worldview rather than reflect the full spectrum of facts.'

In interviews and appearances, including segments on Tucker Carlson's show, Sanger has accused the editing community of blocking contributors with conservative or libertarian viewpoints. He claims the reliability framework built to weed out misinformation now systematically disfavoursright-leaning media, which he sees as a distortion of Wikipedia's original neutrality principle.

Sanger's words carry weight because he co-authored Wikipedia's founding Neutral Point of View (NPOV) policy, which remains central to its editorial guidelines today. However, he has not been part of the project's leadership for over two decades.

Wikipedia's Defence and Ongoing Debate

The Wikimedia Foundation maintains that its editors follow rigorous neutrality and verifiability policies, with content disputes resolved transparently through open discussion.

Jimmy Wales, Wikipedia's other co-founder, has dismissed claims of an ideological takeover, saying the community is composed of 'volunteers trying to get it right, not activists pushing agendas.'

Academic analysts have long noted that ideological tension exists within collaborative knowledge platforms. Studies published by the Oxford Internet Institute and MIT show that Wikipedia's political coverage tends to shift toward consensus over time, even if early versions reflect the bias of its editors.

Still, the debate over neutrality remains relevant as AI systems and search engines rely heavily on Wikipedia for factual data. Any perception of bias could amplify distrust in both traditional and emerging information ecosystems.

Possible Reforms and Transparency Push

Sanger advocates for reforms such as traceable editorial reputations, public edit histories linked to verified users, and auditable logs that show how contentious pages evolve. He argues these measures could restore credibility without restricting volunteer participation.

The Wikimedia Foundation has acknowledged the criticism, stating that it continues to refine its source reliability guidelines but rejects claims of a coordinated political agenda. Whether these reforms will satisfy critics or intensify the ideological tug-of-war remains to be seen.