PolityGS2-Governance

ANI Sues Wikipedia for Defamation, Delhi HC Intervention

ANI sued Wikipedia for defamation due to its description of the news agency, leading to a Delhi High Court order to reveal user details and a potential block on Wikipedia.

September 11, 2024

Key Points

  • 1ANI sued the Wikimedia Foundation for defamation, seeking ₹2 crore in damages due to the description of ANI on Wikipedia.
  • 2The Delhi High Court ordered the company to provide details about the users who made the edits on the ANI page.
  • 3The court threatened to order the Indian government to block Wikipedia if it did not comply.
  • 4Wikipedia has faced bans and lawsuits from around the world.
  • 5Wikipedia allows nearly anyone to edit posts, and the site is often accused of a progressive, liberal bias.
  • 6ANI is described on Wikipedia as 'accused of having served as a propaganda tool for the incumbent central government, distributing materials from a vast network of fake news websites, and misreporting events on multiple occasions.'

Important Terms

ANIWikipediaDefamationDelhi High CourtWikimedia Foundation
UPSC Current Affairs
Last Updated: 6/7/2025