The Delhi High Court ordered the Wikimedia Foundation to reverse changes on Wikipedia’s page about Asian News International (ANI), citing that people often treat Wikipedia as absolute truth.
ANI filed a defamation suit in 2024, leading the court to request the identities of anonymous Wikipedia editors, which goes against the platform’s policy to protect volunteer anonymity.
The court threatened to have the government block Wikipedia in India if the Foundation didn’t comply, reflecting a hostile stance toward the platform.
The Wikimedia Foundation had argued for safe harbour protection under the Information Technology Act 2000 but lost the case because the court believed the content was sourced from editorials and opinions.
Wikipedia relies on volunteers who follow guidelines to cite reputable sources; it doesn’t produce original news but aggregates verified information.
The court’s decision raises concerns about restricting democratic, decentralized platforms like Wikipedia, which rely on open collaboration.
The case highlights a broader issue where governments and courts may suppress diverse opinions and restrict information flow instead of addressing the original claims.
The risk is that such actions could undermine public trust in collaborative knowledge-sharing platforms, affecting the availability of unbiased information.
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