In a recent Delhi High Court case, news agency Asia News International (ANI) complained that Wikipedia pages about ANI carried “false and misleading” content. The edits on the Indian English language Wikipedia page characterised ANI as having served as a “propaganda tool for the incumbent government.”
…Justice Navin Chawla has ordered Wikipedia to disclose the identity of the people who made these allegedly defamatory edits to the ANI Page so that ANI can charge them with legal action. When Wikimedia Foundation (the non-profit organisation that supports Wikipedia) failed to provide the desired information, a contempt notice was issued…
The court’s decision to hold some members accountable and punish a community of volunteers by disclosing their private information seems to be a challenge to freedom of speech and information. The effect this would produce, where any form of critical information that powerful organisations do not like can be censored, or indeed become grounds for punishment would discourage future generations of knowledge warriors who relentlessly and selflessly work on producing free knowledge for the world to use.
Full article: https://bit.ly/4efrj3i (The Indian Express)
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