"Then, just before 4PM, an editor by the name of PickleG13 added a single sentence to Musk's 8,600-word biography: "Musk appeared to perform a Nazi salute," citing an article in The Jerusalem Post. In a note explaining the change, the editor wrote, "This controversy will be debated, but it does appear and is being reported that Musk may have performed a Hitler salute." Two minutes later, another editor deleted the line for violating Wikipedia's stricter standards for unflattering information in biographies of living people."
"At first, the debate on the article's "talk page," where editors discuss changes, was much the same as the one playing out across social media and press: it was obviously a Nazi salute vs. it was an awkward wave vs. it couldn't have been a wave, just look at the touch to his shoulder, the angle of his palm vs. he's autistic vs. no, he's antisemitic"
Wikipedia editors typically update relevant pages seconds after major events. Editors are known for quickly changing "is" to "was" for notable deaths. On January 20, 2025, hours after Elon Musk made a gesture resembling a Nazi salute at a rally following President Donald Trump's inauguration, no one immediately added the incident. Just before 4PM, an editor named PickleG13 added the line "Musk appeared to perform a Nazi salute," citing The Jerusalem Post. Another editor deleted the line minutes later for violating biographies-of-living-persons standards. That evening, editors opened an official discussion and initial arguments mirrored social media disputes over intent, appearance, and bias.
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