Wikipedia co-founder blocks editing of Gaza genocide page over egregious anti-Israel claims | Latest Tech News
Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales personally intervened to block the positioning’s customers from editing a page titled “Gaza genocide” — calling out the article and its introduction for anti-Israel bias.
The first sentence of the controversial entry refers to a “Gaza genocide” without attributing it to any sources, failing to point out that it’s an allegation that stays “highly contested” and instead portraying it as an undisputed fact, Wales wrote.
“This article fails to meet our high standards and needs immediate attention,” Wales wrote, citing Wikipedia insurance policies on neutrality and attribution to call out the biased tone of the “Gaza genocide” entry.
The co-founder of Wikipedia personally intervened to block the positioning’s customers from editing a page titled “Gaza genocide.”
His Sunday intervention marked a comparatively uncommon occasion of customers being blocked from editing Wikipedia, which is reportedly cited in seven out of 10 AI question outcomes and is the top-ranking consequence for most Google searches about people or issues.
“I believe that Wikipedia is at its best when we can have reasonable discussion rooted in a commitment to write articles that reflect a neutral point of view,” wrote Wales, whose current title is chair emeritus of the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation that oversees the free online encyclopedia.
“I believe that’s especially important on highly difficult or contentious topics,” Wales added. “While this article is a particularly egregious example, there is much more work to do.”
Wales demanded that the volunteer editors of the positioning undertake a “neutral approach” that “would begin with a formulation such as: ‘Multiple government, NGOs, and legal bodies have described or rejected the characterization of Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide.’”
Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales said he stepped in to the politically charged subject over the claims made on the page. ZUMAPRESS.com
“Remember: ‘This policy is non-negotiable, and the principles upon which it is based cannot be superseded by other policies or guidelines, nor by editor consensus,’” he wrote.
In August, House Oversight Chair James Comer and Rep. Nancy Mace alleged that organized teams have been violating Wikipedia’s guidelines to unfold propaganda and manipulate articles on delicate topics, including antisemitic and anti-Israel content.
Their letter to Wikimedia CEO Maryana Iskander cited experiences claiming international actors and US taxpayer-funded teachers have been systematically editing pages to advance anti-Western and pro-Kremlin narratives, and demanded information on how Wikimedia detects and disciplines such exercise.
The row over the “Gaza genocide” post also comes after Elon Musk launched a Wikipedia rival called Grokipedia last week. The AI-powered web site is supposed to present data without the lefty bias Musk has long attributed to Wikipedia.
“It feels very improper for the WMF to be intervening here due to political pressure, even if you are ostensibly acting as an individual,” one Wikipedia editor wrote.
As of Monday morning, the lede of the “Gaza genocide” page still acknowledged, without attribution: “The Gaza genocide is the ongoing, intentional, and systematic destruction of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip carried out by Israel during the Gaza war.”
The article continued, “The genocidal acts include mass killings, starvation, infliction of serious bodily and mental harm, and preventing births,” citing “other acts include blockading, destroying civilian infrastructure, destroying health care facilities, killing health care workers and aid seekers, causing mass forced displacement, committing inappropriate violence, and destroying educational, religious, and cultural sites.”
Visitors to the page may still read the textual content in spite of the editing block.
The top of the page consists of a message next to an icon of a lock.
“This article is currently protected from editing until November 4, 2025 at 21:47 UTC, or until editing disputes have been resolved,” the message acknowledged.
The disclaimer is “not an endorsement of the current version.”
Wales’ post divided Wikipedia editors on the “talk page” that accompanies the entry — drawing a combine of kudos and allegations he had bowed to stress from pro-Israel teams.
A quantity of students and human rights organizations have accused Israel of genocide in Gaza. AFP via Getty Images
“Thank you for these important words. This is a first step toward correcting the bias and restoring neutrality to Wikipedia,” one Wikipedia editor wrote.
Another editor said Wales was appearing in good religion, writing: “He has not ignored consensus nor tried to overturn it; he has come here to discuss it and try to reach a new consensus. And he is here as an editor — he made crystal clear that he is here in a personal capacity.”
A critic, meanwhile, wrote that Wales’ transfer was “disrespectful to all the experienced, good faith editors who put a lot of hard work into getting this article to the place it is.”
Another Wikipedia editor accused him of having a battle of curiosity given his reported ties to Israel.
Israel launched army reprisals in Gaza following the terrorist assaults of Oct. 7, 2023. ZUMAPRESS.com
Wales has reportedly visited Israel at least 10 instances. In 2015, he was awarded the celebrated Dan David Prize from Tel Aviv University.
Israel launched army actions against Gaza-based Hamas after the Islamist terrorist group staged assaults on Oct. 7, 2023 that led to the deaths of some 1,200 Israelis.
The Post has sought remark from Wales, Wikimedia Foundation, the Israeli authorities and the Palestinian Authority.
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