US Congress demands Wikipedia reveal editors in Israel content probe; Wikimedia vows to fight
By Muhammad Abubakar
A U.S. congressional committee is investigating the Wikimedia Foundation, demanding it hand over data on contributors who edited articles critical of Israel, a move the nonprofit is calling an “act of government overreach.”
The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability claims the probe is necessary to examine “potential misinformation and anti-Israel bias” on the online encyclopedia.
In a letter to the foundation, lawmakers requested internal communications and, crucially, the identifying information of volunteer editors.
The Wikimedia Foundation has vowed to reject the request for user data. “We will not comply,” a foundation spokesperson stated, arguing the demand jeopardises free speech, privacy, and the project’s neutral model.
Digital rights groups have also condemned the investigation, calling it an attempt to intimidate and identify anonymous critics.
The standoff sets the stage for a significant legal battle over congressional power, free speech, and the independence of digital platforms.