Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Mar 21, 2026

Elon Musk blasts Wikipedia after it suspends edits of ‘recession’ page

Elon Musk blasts Wikipedia after it suspends edits of ‘recession’ page

Elon Musk hit out at Wikipedia on Friday for "losing its objectivity" after the online encyclopedia blocked users from editing its "recession" page.

Elon Musk slammed Wikipedia on Friday for “losing its objectivity” after the online encyclopedia blocked users from editing its “recession” page — prompting accusations that it was running interference for the Biden administration.

Musk, the Tesla CEO and the world’s richest person with an estimated net worth of $263 billion, tagged Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales in a tweet on Friday.

“Wikipedia is losing its objectivity,” Musk tweeted.

Wikipedia blocked users from revising its “recession” page after visitors to the site engaged in a frantic editing war over the definition of the term, which is being disputed by the Biden administration following the latest economic data showing a drop in GDP.

One Wikipedia user known as “Soibangla” edited the “recession” page to remove reference to the standard definition of the term.

The user added a line that read: “There is no global consensus on the definition of a recession.”


As of Friday morning, the page included a lock icon in the upper right corner indicating that it was placed in “semi-protection” mode whereby “unregistered users … as well as accounts [that] are not confirmed or autoconfirmed” would not be able to make changes to the text.

“Wikipedia changed the definition of recession to favor the Biden regime, and then locked the page,” tweeted right-leaning social media personality Mike Cernovich.

“Can’t make Biden look bad before the midterm elections!” tweeted another Twitter user.

Elon Musk took Wikipedia to task on Friday for “losing its objectivity.”


The change comes after dozens of people flocked to the page to make edits to the entry. They were most likely spurred by Thursday’s Commerce Department report indicating that the country’s GDP fell by 0.9%.

This is the second consecutive quarter that the national economy has contracted — which meets the traditional definition of a recession.

But the Biden administration has insisted that the economy is not in a recession. The president and his aides have steadfastly refused to use the word in briefings to reporters.

“This is not an economy that’s in recession,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday.

“But we’re in a period of transition in which growth is slowing and that’s necessary and appropriate and we need to be growing at a steady and sustainable pace.”

Wikipedia prevented users from editing its entry on “recession.”

Dozens of users engaged in an editing war, prompting the site to restrict editing to registered visitors.

Jimmy Wales, Wikipedia’s co-founder, has been accused of stifling free speech.

President Biden has denied that the economy is in recession despite two straight quarters of negative GDP growth.


Whether the US is technically in a recession is a determination that is usually made by the National Bureau of Economic Research, which is a private, nonprofit research organization based in Cambridge, Mass.

The NBER bills itself as an apolitical group that is “committed to undertaking and disseminating unbiased economic research among public policymakers, business professionals, and the academic community.”

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has also refused to say that the country is in a recession.


The Post has sought comment from Wikipedia.

“Semi-protection is useful when there is a significant amount of disruption or vandalism from new or unregistered users, or to prevent sockpuppets of blocked or banned users from editing, especially when it occurs on biographies of living persons who have had a recent high level of media interest,” according to the Wikipedia page.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Asian Refiners Urge Saudi Arabia to Revise Oil Pricing Mechanism Amid War-Driven Volatility
Gulf States Weigh US Base Access and Military Alignment as Iran War Intensifies
IRGC Claims Strikes on Israel, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia as Conflict Widens
Remains of Fallen Soldier Repatriated Following Death in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Multiple Drones Amid Continued Iranian-Linked Attacks
Iran Tensions Challenge Saudi Arabia’s Strategic Shift to Red Sea Oil Exports
Saudi Arabia Turns to Alternative Export Routes as Hormuz Disruption Strains Oil Flows
Saudi Arabia and UAE Move Closer to Backing US-Israeli Campaign Against Iran
Saudi Arabia Signals Readiness for Military Response as Iran Tensions Escalate
Saudi Arabia Warns Oil Could Surge Beyond $180 as Iran Conflict Disrupts Global Supply
Saudi Arabia Reports Drone Strike on Key Red Sea Refinery in Yanbu
United States Urges Citizens to Leave Saudi Arabia Amid Escalating Regional Conflict
Former Media Executive Chronicles Rise of Saudi Crown Prince in New Book
Saudi Aramco–Exxon Refinery in Yanbu Targeted in Latest Wave of Iranian Attacks
Greek-Operated Patriot System Intercepts Iranian Missiles Over Saudi Arabia
Asian Refiners Urge Saudi Arabia to Revise Oil Pricing as War Upends Markets
Arab and Muslim Ministers Convene in Riyadh to Coordinate Response to Iran Crisis
Saudi Arabia Expands Global Partnerships to Accelerate Vision 2030 Transformation
Europe and Japan Signal Readiness to Help Secure Strait of Hormuz Amid Escalating Crisis
Saudi Arabia Signals Firm Stance as Iranian-Linked Attacks Intensify
U.S. Lawmakers Press Rubio to Enforce Strong Safeguards in Saudi Nuclear Deal
Iran Issues Evacuation Warning to Gulf States After Strike on Major Gas Field
Saudi Arabia to Convene Arab and Islamic Ministers for Urgent Talks on Regional Conflict
Saudi Arabia Confirms Eid al-Fitr as Moon Sighting Determines End of Ramadan
Saudi Arabia Boosts Crude Exports to Highest Levels Since 2023, Data Shows
Iran Issues Warning to Gulf Energy Infrastructure Following Strike on Major Gas Field
Saudi Arabia Restarts Ras Tanura Refinery Following Drone Strike, Reinforcing Energy Resilience
Saudi Arabia Restarts Ras Tanura Refinery Following Drone Strike, Reinforcing Energy Resilience
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Ballistic Missiles Targeting Riyadh Amid Escalating Regional Tensions
Saudi Arabia Restores Significant Oil Flows Using Hormuz Bypass Amid Regional Tensions
Saudi Arabia Signals Potential Activation of Defence Pact with Pakistan Amid Escalating Iran Conflict
Saudi Supreme Court Urges Muslims to Observe Crescent Moon for Eid Determination
Saudi Supreme Court Urges Muslims to Observe Crescent Moon for Eid Determination
Saudi Arabia Reassesses Iran Strategy as Regional Conflict Tests MBS’s Diplomatic Bet
Iran Steps Up Drone Strikes on Saudi Oil Sites, Heightening Risks to Global Supply
Regional Fallout Grows as Iran Conflict Sends Shockwaves Across Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Seven Drones in Intensifying Regional Security Threat
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Seven Drones in Intensifying Regional Security Threat
Saudi Arabia Weighs Regional Risks as Iran Conflict Deepens and Security Calculations Shift
Gulf States Confront Limits of U.S. Protection as Regional War Intensifies
Gulf Producers Rush to Reroute Oil Exports as Iran Tightens Control of Hormuz Strait
Saudi Gaming Investment Arm Acquires Strategic Stake in Capcom to Expand Global Influence
Iran Intensifies Strikes on Saudi Oil Infrastructure as Regional War Escalates
Saudi Arabia Targets South African Professionals in New Recruitment Drive Amid Regional Uncertainty
Formula One Faces Major Financial Hit as Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix Cancelled Amid Middle East Conflict
U.S. and Saudi Firms Launch Local Production of Attritable Drone Systems in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia and UAE Warn Rising Gulf Tensions Could Endanger Regional Security
Saudi Arabia Rejects Claims It Encouraged Prolonged War With Iran
Saudi Arabia to Host World’s Largest Single-Cell Protein Plant as Food Security Push Accelerates
Saudi Crown Prince Urges Trump to Continue Military Pressure on Iran
×