The Wikimedia Foundation has been accepting crypto donations via BitPay since 2019. However, the nonprofit organization is now facing criticism from its contributors to remove the option due to the environment.
Molly White (GorillaWarfare) submitted a proposal urging Wikimedia to discontinue the acceptance of crypto donations. Wikimedia Foundation supposedly commits to improving environmental sustainability, but accepting cryptocurrencies goes against this pledge.
White notes that Wikimedia and its members ultimately endorse the crypto space by accepting cryptocurrency. The contributor also mentions how the organization risks hurting its reputation for continuing to accept or tolerate crypto.
Unsurprisingly, discussions immediately followed after White’s proposal, and some Wiki users like Gamaliel supported the cause. The user notes that this decision is “long overdue” and that Wikimedia Foundation’s commitment to environmental sustainability is rendered a joke by accepting cryptocurrency.
On the other hand, Wiki user ATDT says it’s difficult to believe that accepting crypto donations this new year “is a particularly meaningful signal.” Using that train of thought, they note that even accepting the US dollar “signals endorsement of the systems of exploitation of labor and despoliation of the natural environment that underlies global capitalism.”
Although many people disagree that crypto donations should be disabled, they don’t outnumber the people who agree. However, Wikimedia Foundation says it won’t decide based on the majority. Instead, the Foundation will decide according to the arguments presented.
The debate between the supporters and critics also mentioned Mozilla and its recent decision to pause crypto donations. Only last week, Mozilla co-founder Jamie Zawinski publicly expressed his disapproval of the Mozilla Foundation’s acceptance of crypto donations to help sustain the popular browser.
After seeing a tweet from Mozilla reminding users that they can donate with crypto, Zawinski insisted that the company should stop associating with “planet-incinerating Ponzi grifters.”
