The Indian government has issued a notice to Wikipedia regarding allegations of bias and inaccuracies in its content. This notice, communicated by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, raises concerns that a small group of editors may exert undue control over the platform's entries, prompting questions about whether Wikipedia should be classified as a publisher rather than merely an intermediary.

This action follows ongoing legal disputes involving Wikipedia, particularly a defamation lawsuit filed by the news agency Asian News International (ANI). ANI claims that edits made to its Wikipedia page inaccurately labelled it as a "propaganda tool" for the Indian government. The Delhi High Court has previously expressed concerns about the risks associated with Wikipedia's open editing model, describing it as "dangerous" and warning that non-compliance with Indian laws could lead to a suspension of Wikipedia's operations in the country.

In recent court hearings, judges questioned Wikipedia representatives about their claims of being a free encyclopaedia while also emphasizing that a disclaimer does not absolve them of responsibility for the content posted on their platform. The court highlighted that if Wikipedia continues to disregard Indian regulations, it might face severe repercussions, including potential blocking by the government.

The situation reflects broader criticisms of Wikipedia's reliability and editorial practices. Studies have shown that Wikipedia articles can exhibit various biases, including ideological slants influenced by the demographics of its volunteer editors. Concerns have been raised about systemic biases related to gender, race, and political ideology among contributors, which can affect the neutrality of its content.