Republicans Initiate an Inquiry
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, the main investigative committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, has launched an investigation into the Wikimedia Foundation's handling of content related to election processes. The probe, led by Committee Chairman James Comer and Representative Nancy Mace, is focused on allegations of organized efforts to bias Wikipedia entries and the Foundation's response.
The investigation was prompted by concerns raised by the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, Ed Martin, who cited information suggesting that foreign actors could manipulate information and spread propaganda on Wikipedia. The committee is seeking assistance in obtaining documents and communications about individuals who have acted as voluntary Wikipedia editors and violated the platform's guidelines.
The committee aims to shed light on how Wikipedia responds to threats of manipulation and the tools and methods Wikipedia uses to detect and prevent malicious behaviour. The investigation is part of a broader probe into efforts by foreign operations and individuals to influence public opinion in the U.S.
Recently, an investigation by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung (FAS) also criticised Wikipedia for many errors and outdated information. Last year, the Manhattan Institute published a report accusing Wikipedia entries of political bias. In April, a U.S. federal prosecutor serving the U.S. government implied potential legal violations and threatened to revoke the Wikimedia Foundation's tax exemption. A report found that right-leaning terms were more likely to be negatively connoted on the online encyclopedia.
To combat the growing tide of low-quality, AI-generated articles, Wikipedia implemented a new guideline at the beginning of the month, allowing for the swift deletion of AI-generated articles. The committee acknowledges that all online information platforms have to deal with hostile actors and manipulation attempts.
The committee has sent an inquiry letter to Maryana Iskander, CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation, requesting information on the Foundation's policies, decision-making processes, and communications regarding content moderation and potential political bias. The committee is asking the foundation to detail its own efforts to thwart "intentional, organized efforts to influence important and sensitive topics".
The investigation is expected to provide valuable insights into the measures taken by the Wikimedia Foundation to ensure the integrity and accuracy of the information on its platform, particularly in the context of election processes and potential misinformation.
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