Wikipedia Faces Scrutiny As Centre Issues Notice, Questions Its 'Intermediary' Status Over Bias, Inaccuracies

The Central government has reportedly sent a notice to Wikipedia with reference to numerous complaints of bias and inaccuracies in information provided by it, and asked why it should not be treated as a publisher instead of an intermediary.

The communication from the Information and Broadcasting ministry said there is a view that a small group exercises editorial control on its pages, news agency PTI reported.

Wikipedia promotes itself as a freely accessible online encyclopedia that allows volunteers to contribute by creating or editing pages on personalities, issues or various subjects.

The widely used information platform is currently facing legal challenges in India over accusations of providing inaccurate and defamatory content.

The notice comes amid a legal battle in the Delhi High Court, in which news agency Asian News International (ANI) has demanded information about users who made alleged defamatory edits to an entry about the firm.

On Friday, in the most recent hearing in this case, the court quizzed Wikipedia reps over its claim of being a "free encyclopaedia" and observed the website could not refuse to provide the information sought since it claims to be an 'intermediary' and not a 'publisher' of information.

"If you are an intermediary, why are you bothered? If somebody else has edited and that addition is without basis, then it comes down. They are not here to protect..." Justice Subramonium Prasad said, according to legal news website Bar and Bench.

The court also noted that it was "troubling" that Wikipedia claimed to be an encyclopaedia while also warning it does not endorse its content.

Earlier in September, in a separate hearing on the same matter, the Delhi HC had issued a contempt of court notice to Wikipedia after ANI accused the platform of failing to comply with orders to disclose information on subscribers who made allegedly defamatory edits on news agency's Wikipedia page.

The court warned Wikipedia against non-compliance with Indian laws, declaring "if you don't like India, please don't work in India... we will ask government to block your site."

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