The dispute arose from a 20 million rupee ($237,874; £183,012) lawsuit brought by the biggest newswire service in India against the Wikimedia Foundation, the organization that manages Wikipedia, for allegedly discrediting it in its publications.
A phrase in its Wikipedia description wrongly accuses it of being “a propaganda tool for the incumbent [federal] government” and of “distributing material from fake news websites,” according to Asian News International (ANI), which filed the lawsuit in the Delhi high court. ANI also sought that the page be removed.
According to Wikipedia, the Foundation has no authority over the website’s content, which is entirely run by volunteers.
The court threatened to shut down Wikipedia if it didn’t comply with its instructions in August, ordering the website to reveal who made the potentially defamatory alterations to the ANI page.
Wikipedia has since consented to provide the court with basic user data in a sealed cover, however it is unclear what that would entail. The case is still ongoing.
According to experts, the case is significant because its verdict may affect users’ ability to obtain impartial information on the platform.
will determine if India is living in an internet age where information is accurate and freely available to all, according to technology law specialist Mishi Choudhary.
