Government puts Wikipedia on notice, points out complaints of 'bias and inaccuracies'

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Tuesday issued a formal notice to Wikipedia, pointing out numerous complaints regarding perceived bias and inaccuracies on the platform.

The government purportedly also raised questions about the editorial control being exercised by a small group of contributors and the implications for the platform's role in disseminating information. The notice also questioned whether Wikipedia should be classified as a publisher rather than merely an intermediary in its communication, according to sources familiar with the matter.

This development follows a ruling by the Delhi high court in September, which criticised Wikipedia's open editing feature as 'dangerous.' The court's remarks came during a defamation case filed by a news agency against the platform, where judges expressed astonishment that 'anybody' could edit a Wikipedia page. The court highlighted the potential risks associated with unrestricted editing, particularly in regard to sensitive information about individuals or entities.

In response to the court's concerns, Wikipedia's legal representatives assured the judges that users must adhere to legal guidelines when creating or updating content. The platform highlighted that the platform has established policies to govern user contributions and ensure compliance with the law.

Launched in the early 2000s, Wikipedia was designed to facilitate free access to knowledge and information. Over the past two decades, the platform has experienced significant growth. Today, Wikipedia boasts over 56 million articles across more than 300 languages, with approximately 89 percent of its content available in languages other than English.