Apr 03, 2025 06:49 AM IST
ANI had sought removal of the allegedly defamatory content in prayer 2, and removal of the protection status in prayer 3
The Delhi high court on Wednesday ordered the removal of allegedly defamatory content about news agency ANI from its Wikipedia page.
Justice Subramonium Prasad also directed Wikipedia to remove the protection status on ANI’s page and restrained the platform’s users from publishing more allegedly defamatory content. The ‘protection status’ allows only admins to edit a Wiki page.
“Prayer 2 and 3 (granted),” Justice Prasad said while pronouncing the verdict. A detailed copy of the judgement is yet to be made available.
ANI had sought removal of the allegedly defamatory content in prayer 2, and removal of the protection status in prayer 3.
The order came in a defamation suit filed by ANI over its description on the Wikipedia page, which referred to ANI as a “propaganda tool” for the current government. The news agency demanded the page be taken down and restrain further uploading of allegedly defamatory content.
During the proceedings, Wikipedia had contended that its content was based on secondary sources and came with a disclaimer stating as much. A lawyer representing the platform argued that Wikipedia does not claim the information is factually correct or verified, emphasising that content is added through open, editable collaboration by users.
This case follows related observations made by Justice Prasad in November. During that hearing, the judge criticised Wikipedia for its apparent reluctance to share details of users who had edited the page in question. Justice Prasad remarked that the platform’s disclaimer could not act as a “Kavach of Karna” – referencing a mythical shield from the Mahabharata epic – to absolve it from responsibility for user contributions. He added it was “troubling” that Wikipedia presents itself as an encyclopaedia while claiming not to endorse the information it hosts.
The defamation fight has snowballed into a larger judicial tussle over the liability and duties of intermediaries — online providers of a service — when the content posted by their users is caught in a legal tangle.
