Jimmy Wales: The Seven Rules of Trust

In an age defined by disinformation, division, and deepening suspicion, one question looms large: How do we rebuild fundamental trust in one another?

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales offers an answer in his new book, The Seven Rules of Trust—a sweeping and deeply reflective look at how one of the internet’s most improbable success stories came to be. What began as a scrappy experiment built by strangers is now one of the most utilized sources of information, viewed 11 billion times in just the English language edition alone.

Wales says one of the first challenges the site faced was getting internet strangers to trust one another. There had to be an expectation of civility and fairness—and that others would be acting with good intentions. There had to be trust, and that’s something that needed to be cultivated, maintained, and scaled in communities across the globe.

How did Wikipedia do it? And how did Wikipedia leverage that trust to help it become an authority globally at the same time the public’s trust in so many institutions faded?

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation with Jimmy Wales as he explores what it takes to build institutions—and relationships—that last. In an era hungry for truth and connection, this dialogue offers a rare glimpse into the power of trust as a foundation for progress.

Speakers

Jimmy Wales, Founder, Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation; Author, The Seven Rules of Trust: A Blueprint for Building Things That Last

Moderator TBA

5:30 p.m. doors open & check-in6–7 p.m. program7 p.m. book signing(all times Pacific Time)

Photo courtesy the speaker.

Host or Publisher Inforum at the Commonwealth Club