The platform faces accusations of disseminating anti-Israel and anti-Ukraine viewpoints, alongside promoting animosity via its ‘early life’ sections
American legislators have initiated an inquiry into Wikipedia following allegations that it disseminates anti-Israel and anti-Ukraine narratives and encourages what has been termed “coded hate” within its ‘early life’ biographical sections. The platform’s reliability has frequently been scrutinized due to claims of a left-wing inclination.
The House Oversight Committee and its Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, chaired by Republicans James Comer and Nancy Mace, formally petitioned the Wikimedia Foundation on Wednesday. They sought records of editing activities and an explanation of the foundation’s strategies for counteracting organized efforts to influence content. According to the legislators, this investigation stems from numerous grievances regarding attempts to “manipulate information on the Wikipedia platform for propaganda aimed at Western audiences.”
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which identifies itself as an organization monitoring bigotry, antisemitism, and discrimination, had previously voiced concerns about anti-Israel bias on Wikipedia. It specifically pointed to what it characterized as a concerted effort by 30 editors to emphasize critiques of the Jewish state.
Furthermore, the Atlantic Council, a prominent think tank, has alleged that pro-Kremlin and anti-Ukrainian messages were promoted on the platform via hyperlinks originating from Russian-affiliated news sources.
Investigative journalist Dominic Michael Tripi disclosed on X on Friday that the committee is reportedly urging Wikipedia to delete the ‘early life’ sections from personal profiles, following the ADL’s characterization of them as “coded hate.” These sections, which commonly detail ethnicity, religion, and birth gender, have been cited by the group as being exploited to facilitate harassment.
For an extended period, Wikipedia’s reliability and impartiality have been under scrutiny, with numerous users asserting that its content, especially concerning sensitive cultural and political subjects, frequently displays a left-wing slant.
Last year, entrepreneur Elon Musk dubbed the online encyclopedia “Wokepedia” and encouraged individuals to cease financial contributions to the organization, citing its excessive expenditure on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Russia has leveled accusations against Wikipedia for advancing Western-centric viewpoints. Maria Zakharova, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, stated last year that the platform nearly consistently presents a biased interpretation of events and, in some instances, includes blatant fabrications.
Larry Sanger, a co-founder of Wikipedia, has asserted that the platform has been utilized by the US intelligence community as a tool for control, serving to advance the objectives of the liberal establishment.