Following a Supreme Court order on September 17, 2024, the Wikimedia Foundation has moved to comply by removing the identity of a medic murdered at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital from Wikipedia. The court had directed that the victim's name and image be excluded from electronic media, including Wikipedia.
The Wikimedia Foundation, which operates on a policy of not directly editing or censoring content, faced a complex situation in addressing the court's order. Instead of making direct changes, a representative from the Foundation participated in a discussion within the Wikipedia community to determine the appropriateness of including the victim's name in the article. As a result, volunteer editors have temporarily removed the name from the entry.
Joe Sutherland, a member of the Wikimedia Foundation’s trust and safety team, noted that the Foundation respects local laws and cultural nuances. He pointed out that, similar to the BBC and other credible outlets, Wikipedia had to adapt to legal requirements under Section 72 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which prohibits publishing the names of sexual assault victims.
Sutherland emphasized the importance of community consensus in Wikipedia content decisions. He highlighted that the Foundation relies on its volunteer community to address such issues and ensure adherence to applicable laws and guidelines. The Foundation's approach involves working closely with the community to resolve content issues while providing precise and compelling reasons for decisions to legal and other authorities.
This process reflects the Wikimedia Foundation's commitment to balancing respect for legal requirements with the collaborative nature of its platform.
