The requests for comments on a proposal urging the Wikimedia Foundation to stop accepting donations in cryptocurrency closed, the majority of users voting in favor.
According to an update on Tuesday on the proposal, around 71%, or 232 out of 326, contributors from Wikimedia who replied that the Wikimedia Foundation – the non -profit organization that hosts Wikipedia – Stop accepting cryptocurrency donations. The arguments in favor of the proposal included environmental concerns surrounding Bitcoin (BTC) transactions and “the risk for the movement of the movement to accept cryptocurrencies”.
The community first opened the proposal to comment on January 10, expanding the discussion to include subjects such as El Salvador adopting the BTC as a tender, crypto as a tool for illicit financial activities and the role of digital assets in financial inclusion. However, the majority of subjects seemed to focus on energy consumption and the potential environmental impact of cryptocurrencies.
“Cryptocurrencies may not align with the commitment of the Wikimedia Foundation to environmental sustainability,” said the original proposal. “Bitcoin and Ethereum are the two most used cryptocurrencies, and are both proof of work, using a huge amount of energy. (…) Current models continue to be extremely damaging to the environment. Although there are eco-adherent cryptocurrencies, they are less widely used.”
Among these arguments opposed to the proposal included cryptocurrencies of proof of staging which are “much less with a high intensity of energy” and the use of tokens to provide “safer means of making a donation and engaging in the finance of people in oppressive countries”. A user cited the Ukrainian government by accepting cryptography donations as an argument against technology bearing a bad reputation.
“Crypto Should Remain An Option for Wikimedia To Accept Donation,” Said User C9333103 On March 14. “Wikimedia is accepting donations in crypto not giving crypto out. If a country’s Law Banned Donation to (The Wikimedia Foundation, or WMF) Through banks? Wrong not WMF. Acceptual Donations Instead of Giving Them Outo Mean It Won’t Be used to facilitate economic activities which could be targets of other illegal activities, because all the currency received will be immediately converted to the WMF account in the WMF account.
What is this rumbler noise in the distance, slowly pushing stronger, ask yourself?
It is the jostling of cryptographic fanatics that have never given the Wikimedia Foundation once, shouting “I guess I will take my money elsewhere!”
– Molly White (@ molly0xfff) April 13, 2022
However, the contributor to Wikimedia Trueanonyman supported the proposal, adding:
“The financial effect of no longer accepting cryptography donations would be minimal, and by far prevails over the prejudice of reputation for the Wikimedia project to be seen to approve a technology so strongly linked to various environmental and social damage.”
In relation: Wiki continues to accept crypto donations despite the pressure to stop
The Foundation reported in January that it had received about $ 130,000 in crypto donations in the last financial year, or about 0.08% of its income. Bitcoin was the most used cryptocurrency among the 347 people who made a donation, but the non-profit organization also accepts Ether (ETH) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH).
