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The Delhi High Court came down heavily on Wikipedia for failing to comply with an order to disclose information about alleged defamatory edits made to the Wikipedia page of news agency ANI, labeling it as a “propaganda tool” of the government, Bar and Bench reported.
A bench led by Justice Navin Chawla issued a contempt notice to Wikimedia Foundation that runs Wikipedia and warned that the court will ask the government to “block Wikipedia”. The court also summoned an authourised representative from Wikimedia to appear in person at the next hearing in October.
This came after Wikipedia’s legal team requested more time to make submissions, citing its status as a non-Indian entity. The court had earlier directed Wikipedia to disclose the subscriber details of the individuals who had made the edits.
The bench said, “We will not take it anymore. If you don't like India, don't work here. I will impose contempt…We will close your business transactions here. We will ask the government to block Wikipedia…Earlier also, you people have taken this argument. If you don’t like India, please don’t work in India.”
The court had first issued a notice and summoned Wikipedia in the suit filed by ANI for “allowing defamatory edits” in July.
The Wikimedia Foundation had then said in a statement that “as a technology host, the Wikimedia Foundation generally does not add, edit or determine content published on Wikipedia. Wikipedia’s content is determined by its global community of volunteer editors (also known as the ‘Wikimedia Community’) who compile and share information on notable subjects”.
Newslaundry had earlier reported about the alleged defamatory edits. Read here.
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