New Delhi: The Government of India has issued a formal notice to Wikipedia, raising concerns over alleged bias and inaccuracies in its content.
According to sources, the government has pointed out numerous complaints regarding the reliability of information on the platform and has questioned the editorial control exercised by a small group of contributors.
The notice, sent on Tuesday, highlights the government’s dissatisfaction with Wikipedia’s current status as an intermediary, suggesting that it should be treated as a publisher instead. This change in classification would hold Wikipedia to higher standards of accountability for the content it hosts.
This move follows a recent Delhi High Court ruling that criticized Wikipedia’s open editing feature as “dangerous,” particularly in cases involving sensitive information. The court’s remarks came during a defamation case, where judges expressed concern over the potential risks of unrestricted editing.
In response, Wikipedia’s representatives have assured that the platform has established policies to govern user contributions and ensure compliance with legal guidelines. However, the Indian government remains firm in its stance, seeking more stringent measures to address the issues of bias and inaccuracies.