A new report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Center for Technology and Society (CTS) has uncovered systematic antisemitic and anti-Israel bias on Wikipedia, revealing an orchestrated effort to manipulate content related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The investigation found that a coordinated group of editors has been actively distorting Wikipedia entries in apparent violation of the platform’s policies.
According to the report, at least 30 Wikipedia editors have collaborated to introduce misleading narratives about Israel while downplaying Palestinian antisemitism and violence. These editors were found to be significantly more active than comparable groups, with twice the average number of total edits over the past decade. Additionally, their internal communication was up to 18 times more frequent than that of other Wikipedia editors. The report also details how these editors systematically removed references to reputable sources and engaged in tandem voting to suppress criticism of Hamas and Palestinian violence while amplifying content critical of Israel. This trend has intensified since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, further skewing Wikipedia’s portrayal of the conflict.
“It’s clear that Wikipedia needs to do far more to address the very active antisemitic and anti-Israel bias and coordination,” said Daniel Kelley, Interim Head of the ADL Center for Technology and Society. “Until then, platforms relying on Wikipedia, such as Google Search and AI models like ChatGPT, must deprioritize its content on these issues to prevent the spread of misinformation.”
The ADL’s research also found that Wikipedia’s Arabic-language content on Hamas fails to adhere to the platform’s neutrality policies. The report highlights that pages dedicated to Hamas glorify the terrorist organization, promote pro-Hamas propaganda, and violate Wikipedia’s stated standards for impartiality.
To counteract this bias, the ADL has proposed several policy changes for Wikipedia, technology companies, and policymakers. For Wikipedia, the ADL recommends establishing an expert review program vetted by the Wikimedia Foundation to ensure accuracy in articles related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Special administrators should be appointed to oversee and close discussions on contentious topics, preventing biased editors from dominating content decisions. The content resolution process should be reformed so that disputed topics are resolved on merit rather than by majority vote. Measures should also be strengthened to detect and prevent coordinated manipulation and foreign influence.
For policymakers, the ADL suggests convening experts, academics, and civil society organizations to develop strategies for mitigating bias on Wikipedia. A government task force should be created to combat antisemitic and anti-Israel bias on the platform. Hearings should be held to investigate Wikipedia’s handling of antisemitism and disinformation. Public awareness should be increased by urging the Wikimedia Foundation to address these concerns and take corrective action.
The ADL report highlights that Wikipedia’s manipulation problem extends beyond the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Similar coordinated campaigns have been identified in other historical contexts, including Holocaust revisionism and the erasure of Native American history. A separate investigation by the World Jewish Congress found that Polish nationalist editors have systematically altered Holocaust-related content to minimize Polish involvement in Nazi crimes.
Wikipedia’s arbitration committee recently banned several editors from contributing to the Israel-Palestine topic area. However, the ADL argues that such measures are insufficient and that a more comprehensive overhaul of Wikipedia’s policies is required to ensure factual accuracy and prevent the dissemination of biased information.
The findings raise serious concerns about Wikipedia’s credibility and the potential consequences of unchecked disinformation. ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt warned that the platform’s failure to address these issues could have dire real-world implications. “Most readers assume Wikipedia is a reliable online encyclopedia, but in reality, it has become a biased platform manipulated by agenda-driven editors,” Greenblatt said. “Recent efforts toward neutrality are nothing but a Band-Aid on a problem that’s getting worse.” The ADL is urging swift action from Wikipedia and policymakers to prevent the spread of misinformation and ensure that one of the world’s most widely used information sources does not become a tool for anti-Israel propaganda.
A report by Arutz Sheva-Israel National News last year found that the Arabic version of Wikipedia's articles about the are heavily biased against Israel and consist of disinformation in Hamas's favor.
Besides the articles, which are written by various editors and readers, the site's interface itself, which is controlled by Wikipedia staff, was found to be blatantly pro-Palestinian.
Upon switching the language settings to Arabic, the site's interface would change: in the right-hand corner, the Wikipedia emblem became stylized with the colors of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
In addition, on the top of the page, a banner would appear bearing a ribbon with the colors of the PLO flag and a Palestinian Qeffiyah and the words (in Arabic): "In solidarity with the rights of the Palestinian people, No to genocide in Gaza... No to killing civilians. No to targeting hospitals and schools... No to deception and double standards. Stop the war .... and spread just and comprehensive peace." Embedded in the banner were links to various Wikipedia anti-Israel articles about the war.
The interface has since changed and is now similar to that of the site's pages in other languages.
No comments:
Post a Comment