Delhi HC issues summons to Wikipedia over ‘defamatory edits’ on its page on ANI

Delhi High Court has issued a notice and summoned Wikipedia in a defamation suit filed by news agency ANI for “allowing defamatory edits” to their page on the platform, Bar and Bench reported.  

The Wikipedia page states that “the news agency has been criticised for having served as a propaganda tool for the incumbent central government distributing materials from a vast network of fake news websites and misreporting events."

In its plea, ANI said that the description is defamatory and that Wikipedia selectively allowed edits on its page. It has sought the removal of the alleged defamatory content, restrain on publishing such content, and Rs 2 crore as damages. It also mentioned four other edits as “false and misleading”:

1. Under a new management, ANI has been accused of practicing an aggressive model of journalism focused at maximum revenue output, where journalists were easily dispensable with. Multiple employees have accused ANI of not having any human resource management system and ill-treating their ex-employees."

2. In 2020, an investigation by EU DisinfoLab concluded that ANI had on multiple occasions published mostly anti-Pakistan and sometimes anti-China opinion pieces and news content, including opinion pieces falsely attributed to European politicians and other instances of disinformation, and that this material was known to have been sourced from a vast network of pro-India fake news websites run by a certain "Srivasta Group". The report noted that mainstream Indian news media regularly relies on content provided by ANI, and that ANI had on several occasions provided legitimacy and coverage to the entire "influence operation" run by the fake news network, which relied "more on ANI than on any other distribution channel" [to give it] "both credibility and a wide reach to its content". A primary aim of this fake news coverage was to "discredit Pakistan" in international forums. ANI is also believed to have played significant roles as allies of the Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency; many of its videos depicted protests by fringe lobby groups and activists, on the aspects of human rights abuse in Pakistan."

3. ANI has been also accused of misreporting events, by checkers certified by the Poynter Institute's International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN). The Caravan came across several video footages from ANI, wherein logos of random television channels from Pakistan along with Urdu tickers were superimposed on news showcasing India in a positive light; their video editors have admitted to forging clips.

4. On 20 July 2023, ANI falsely blamed Muslims for the sexual assault and rape of two Kuki women during the 2023 Manipur violence.

Justice Navin Chawla of the Delhi HC said that Wikipedia was “entitled to have their opinion” and “whether they have backing of facts or not will be seen”. The matter will be next heard on August 20.

Newslaundry earlier reported that the news agency’s Ishan Prakash tried to convince third parties to get positive edits.

Read this to understand ANI’s news business.

Update: This piece has been corrected to include a link about ANI ownership and business.

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