Information repository Wikipedia, that has been offering tons of knowledge on a plethora of topics for free, is set to launch a paid option soon, as per a report by Wired. Wikimedia Foundation, that runs Wikipedia has launched Wikimedia Enterprise, a commercial platform that will serve the content of Wikipedia directly to the Big Tech companies. That means Apple and Google will have to pay to the Wikimedia Foundation for its articles and other informative pieces. Till now, the Wikimedia Foundation has remained an organisation that has seen the rapid leaps of the tech giants while remaining a nonprofit itself, subsisting on grants and donations.
Like the Big Tech companies, Wikipedia is a well-known name and on Google Search, is usually amongst the top search results. As per the report, The Wikimedia Enterprise aims for “the sale and efficient delivery of Wikipedia’s content directly to these online behemoths (and eventually, to smaller companies too).” The program will reportedly launch later this year.
Wikimedia LLC, a new subsidiary of the Wikimedia Foundation, and the Big Tech companies have already entered into discussions, and agreements could be inked by June, claims the report. The report doesn’t shed light on the names of the particular firms that are into talks with the Wikimedia Foundation but most likely, they are going to be Apple and Google.
The Foundation, the report adds, doesn’t have plans to scrap the original, no-pay search option of its free encyclopedia. Not for now, atleast. The Enterprise thing looks to be more of in the testing-the-waters phase for now.