Delhi HC contempt notice to Wikipedia over edit disclosure; threatens ban

On Thursday, the Delhi High Court issued a contempt notice to Wikipedia for not disclosing information about edits made to a page on news agency ANI. The court cautioned Wikipedia to comply with Indian laws, stating, "if you don't like India, please don't work in India... we will ask government to block your site."

The case was brought by ANI, which alleged defamation due to certain edits on Wikipedia referring to ANI as "the propaganda tool" of the Indian government. The court had previously ordered Wikipedia to disclose details about three accounts that made the edits. ANI claimed that this information had not been provided.

Wikipedia, in its defense, explained that the delay was due to pending document submissions, exacerbated by its lack of a physical presence in India. However, Justice Navin Chawla was not persuaded by this argument. He remarked, "It is not a question of the defendant not being an entity in India. We will close your business transactions here. We will ask the government to block Wikipedia... Earlier also you took this position."

The court has scheduled the next hearing for October, requiring a company representative to be present. In July, the Wikimedia Foundation, which oversees Wikipedia, clarified that it functions as a "technology host" and does not directly alter or add to the content on Wikipedia.

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