Why isn't wikipedia accepting bitcoin?

[kingteema]

After seeing the usual donation insert I got curious and scoured their payment methods.  No bitcoin...


...really?

[niothor]

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=32848.0
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=50158.0
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=54988.0

[kingteema]

haha thanks.  I even sent them an email, to which they replied:

Thanks for your email and for your suggestion. We are aware of bitcoin, and we will continue to monitor it with interest. Thanks again for taking the time to email us.

Sincerely,

Michael Beattie
Donor Services Associate
Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.
https://wikimediafoundation.org
Support us: https://donate.wikimedia.org

[Voogru]

It's about politics.

They don't want to be seen as 'approving' or 'endorsing' bitcoin, because, leik, omg! that might be biased! We can't have that!

But accepting VISA/Mastercard/Paypal isn't biased towards those companies at all. No no no no!

I love how they beg for money, but then won't accept bitcoins, which could just immediately be converted to US dollars for them...

It reminds me of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BiHzcGSZEM

[Gabi]

Because bitcoin is not backed by the full faith and credit of an issuing government 

[kingteema]

It just seems insane that they wouldn't even try it, especially considering how generous this community normally is.  That video was pretty funny btw.

[zeroday]

It seems they doesn't really need donations. Probably they are sponsored by government.

I'll never donate them until they start accepting BTC.

[vandeam]

It's about politics.

They don't want to be seen as 'approving' or 'endorsing' bitcoin, because, leik, omg! that might be biased! We can't have that!

But accepting VISA/Mastercard/Paypal isn't biased towards those companies at all. No no no no!

I love how they beg for money, but then won't accept bitcoins, which could just immediately be converted to US dollars for them...

It reminds me of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BiHzcGSZEM

you killed me with "free money"

[corebob]

The Real News Network has finally started to accept bitcoin donations. If I had more coins I would definitely throw them a few

[Phinnaeus Gage]

There's a $1,000 USD via Bitcoin endowment from Bitcoin 100 waiting to be transferred once Wikipedia starts accepting bitcoin donations.

~TMIBTCITW

[Voogru]

you killed me with "free money"

Bitcoin tips welcome!

1F1NvELoRKFaQmuu1uY2VKi6zQpZDAbkxD

[freet0pian]

It's about politics.

They don't want to be seen as 'approving' or 'endorsing' bitcoin, because, leik, omg! that might be biased! We can't have that!

But accepting VISA/Mastercard/Paypal isn't biased towards those companies at all. No no no no!

I love how they beg for money, but then won't accept bitcoins, which could just immediately be converted to US dollars for them...

It reminds me of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BiHzcGSZEM

Aaaand, you think wikipedia isn't biased? This and your avatar seem to be in conflict.

[LiteCoinGuy]

thats a good question...  

for such a tech-based site it should had add bitcoin already. stupid!

wikipedia is for the users, from the users. bitcoin is the same.

[Voogru]

thats a good question...  

for such a tech-based site it should had add bitcoin already. stupid!

wikipedia is for the users, from the users. bitcoin is the same.

People have a right to be stupid, I have a right not to give my money to stupid people.

[exstasie]

Give them some time...i imagine that its gotta be on the radar now!

[Anon136]

me:

i got a message at the top of my my wikipedia page saying that you need donations. I quickly navigated to to the donations page with every intention of contributing only to find that you do not accept bitcoin for donations and unfortunately that is how i do all of my donating. I would ask you to please consider adding that option as not everyone has access to or is willing to use the formal banking system.

wikipedia:

Thanks for your email and for your interest in supporting free knowledge. Unfortunately we do not accept bitcoins, however, we are aware of bitcoin and we will continue to monitor it with interest. For a full list of other donation options, please visit http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Ways_to_Give/en. Thank you again for your interest!

Sincerely,

Michael Beattie
Donor Services Associate
Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.

[Mondy]

You can donate using bitcoin I think

[Littleshop]

It seems they doesn't really need donations. Probably they are sponsored by government.

I'll never donate them until they start accepting BTC.

I would not even after.  They made some pretty pigheaded statements about why they would not accept it.  That combined with 'deletion-ism' makes me not care much about them anymore. 

[Lemming]

It's actually in their FAQ:

Why does the Wikimedia Foundation not currently accept Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is a form of crypto-currency; in their own words, "an experimental new digital currency that enables instant payments to anyone, anywhere in the world."(Bitcoin P2P Digital Currency. Retrieved 2 November 2011.) The Wikimedia Foundation's position on the matter is as follows:

The Wikimedia Foundation, as a donor-driven organization, has a fiduciary duty to be responsible and prudent with its money. This has been interpreted to mean that we do not accept "artificial" currencies – that is, those not backed by the full faith and credit of an issuing government. We do, however, strive to provide as many methods of donating as possible and continue to monitor Bitcoin with interest and may revisit this position should circumstances change.

The Wikimedia Foundation does try to make donating as easy as possible, however. For a list of ways to give, see Ways to Give.

[faizaa123]

i think they'll start accepting it sooner rather than later.