The cryptocurrency community has been reminded once again to approach mainstream media with skepticism amidst the ongoing scandal involving NPR CEO Katherine Maher. The resignation of NPR senior business editor Uri Berliner has sent shockwaves through the media industry, with politicians, activists, and editors criticizing Maher, who was previously the CEO of Wikimedia, following Berliner’s penalty for criticizing NPR’s coverage in The Free Press. Some critics have come out in support of the former NPR editor, with activist Christopher Rufo sharing a video in which Maher admits that Wikipedia censored certain information during the 2020 U.S. elections and the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the video was recorded during an online panel discussion at the 360/Open Summit organized by the Atlantic Council in 2021, Maher’s speech has gained significant attention on the social media platform X in light of Berliner’s resignation. In the video, Maher acknowledges that the Wikimedia Foundation, which owns Wikipedia, established a “clearinghouse of information” in response to the election and the pandemic, allowing editors to collaborate with the government to identify threats.
During the same speech, Maher allegedly stated that she considers the First Amendment of the United States, which guarantees freedom of speech, to be the “number one challenge.” She argued that these speech protections make it difficult to suppress “bad information” and the “influence peddlers” who profit from it.
Maher’s admission has caught the attention of prominent figures, including X owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Musk commented, “This keeps getting crazier! The head of NPR hates the Constitution of the USA,” while reposting Rufo’s video. Musk also expressed that he was not surprised by Wikipedia’s censorship of certain information during the U.S. elections and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Maher’s skepticism towards freedom of speech sharply contrasts with recent remarks made by Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov, who emphasized that freedom of speech is Telegram’s top priority in an interview with Tucker Carlson on April 17. Durov also revealed that he does not own any significant assets like land or real estate, preferring to hold Bitcoin (BTC) and cash as he values his freedom and is dedicated to doing his best for Telegram.