Wikipedia, the US-based online library, has reportedly been put on notice by the Central government. This comes to pass after the Delhi High Court made some strong observations on the content, quality and moderation, along with the filtering of information on the website that has grown in significance over the years.
Government writes to Wikipedia pointing out to many complains of bias and inaccuracies in Wikipedia. Asks why Wikipedia shouldn’t be treated as a publisher instead of an intermediary: Sources pic.twitter.com/3rCbf6ehCH
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 5, 2024
Top Govt Sources say that GOI has written to Wikipedia pointing out to many complains of bias and inaccuracies in Wikipedia.
Govt has asked Wikipedia why it shouldn’t be treated as a publisher instead of an intermediary.
— Marya Shakil (@maryashakil) November 5, 2024
According to reports, the government has written to the Wikimedia Foundation-owned website, pointing out many complaints of bias and inaccuracies that allegedly exist on the website.
Case Against Wikipedia
According to reports from Bar & Bench, these observations were made by the Delhi High Court on Friday. This case came to pass after the Indian new agency, ANI, took Wikipedia to court.
Wikipedia is being sued for defamation by ANI. The news agency has claimed that Wikipedia permitted defamatory changes to its article previously called ANI a “propaganda tool” for the current administration led by the BJP/NDA.
In the hearing, the HC chided Wikipedia for claiming itself to be an encyclopaedia and standing in way of the Asian News International’s (ANI)’s demand for the takedown of the defamatory edits made to the Wikipedia page pertaining to the Smita Prakash-led agency.
