The Government of India sent legal notices to Wikipedia today after receiving complaints about the biased and inaccurate content on the platform.
This notice follows the defamation lawsuit filed against Wikipedia by news agency ANI. ANI claims that Wikipedia allowed edits describing it as a "propaganda tool" for the Indian government.
On November 4, the Delhi High Court questioned Wikipedia's status as an "encyclopedia" and raised concerns about its unwillingness to remove the disputed content.
Earlier, the court ordered Wikipedia to identify three editors involved in making these controversial edits. Meanwhile, ANI has also requested the court to take down the page, which still describes the agency as a "mouthpiece of the current government."
Notices Against Kethireddy's Encroachments
According to reports, the government's notices include multiple complaints about misinformation on the platform. It also claims that a small group of editors has too much influence over Wikipedia's content.
The government is questioning whether Wikipedia should be treated as a publisher rather than an intermediary. This clarity matters for legal reasons because as an intermediary, Wikipedia isn't responsible for content posted by users, but as a publisher, it could be held legally accountable for false or misleading information.