India issues notice to Wikipedia over concerns of bias

India's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued a notice to Wikipedia, questioning its status as a neutral intermediary and raising concerns about editorial bias and inaccuracies. This action follows a defamation case in the Delhi High Court, where judges criticized Wikipedia's open editing model as potentially harmful and threatened to suspend its operations in India. The court is currently addressing a case brought by Asian News International, which seeks to identify contributors who allegedly labeled the agency as a government propaganda tool. Justice Navin Chawla dismissed Wikipedia's request for more time to respond, emphasizing compliance with Indian regulations. Wikipedia argues that its volunteer editors follow established policies for content verification, but this defense is under scrutiny. Nikhil Pahwa, a technology policy expert, has questioned the legal basis for the government's actions, suggesting that India's IT law should determine platform status based on functionality rather than the number of editors. Wikimedia, the organization behind Wikipedia, has not yet commented on the situation.

- India questions Wikipedia's status as a neutral intermediary.

- Concerns raised about bias and inaccuracies in Wikipedia's content.

- Delhi High Court criticized Wikipedia's open editing feature.

- Wikipedia faces potential suspension of operations in India.

- Legal experts challenge the government's basis for its actions.