Today, On 9th May, The Supreme Court criticised the Delhi High Court, saying it’s “not court’s job to order media to delete content”, as it set-aside the Wikipedia takedown order in ANI’s defamation case against Wikipedia.
The Supreme Court of India overturned the Delhi High Court’s orders for removing allegedly defamatory edits on Asian News International’s Wikipedia page. The Court noted the lack of clarity in the takedown orders and permitted ANI to seek specific interim relief. It emphasized that injunctions must be precise and enforceable.
The Supreme Court of India ruled that courts must provide a prima facie finding of contempt before ordering the removal of news reports related to legal proceedings. This decision arose from a defamation case between Asian News International and Wikimedia Foundation, emphasizing the importance of freedom in reporting court activities without undue suppression.
Today, On 8th April, The Delhi High Court ruled that Wikipedia, as an intermediary platform, cannot challenge court-ordered takedowns on the merits of the content. The judgment came in a case involving news agency ANI. The Court also criticized Wikipedia for lacking neutrality in its article about ANI, stating that encyclopaedias are expected to remain unbiased. The platform was directed to comply with the takedown order.
New Delhi – Justice Navin Chawla of the Delhi High Court on Monday (7th April) recused himself from hearing an appeal filed by the Wikimedia Foundation, which runs Wikipedia, against a single-judge order that directed it to remove defamatory content related to Asian News International (ANI) from its platform.