Congress investigates Wikipedia for 'foreign manipulation'

The House Oversight Committee, led by Comer and Mace, is investigating the Wikimedia Foundation for alleged coordinated editing by foreign nation-state actors and U.S.-funded academic institutions to bias Wikipedia content. The probe targets violations of platform policies by volunteer editors injecting propaganda, including pro-Russia and anti-Israel narratives.

Comer and Mace, in a letter to Wikimedia CEO Iskander, requested documents on editors breaching neutrality rules and the Foundation’s response to organized bias. They cited an ADL report on anti-Israel content manipulation and an Atlantic Council study exposing pro-Kremlin messaging affecting AI training.

“Multiple studies… highlighted efforts to manipulate information on the Wikipedia platform for propaganda aimed at Western audiences,” Comer and Mace wrote. The committee seeks records on nation-state coordination, academic involvement, and Wikipedia’s Arbitration Committee actions against violators.

The investigation examines tools Wikipedia uses to detect malicious edits undermining neutrality. A Wikimedia spokesperson acknowledged the request, stating, “We welcome the opportunity to respond to the Committee’s questions.” The probe aims to expose how foreign and academic actors shape U.S. public opinion through Wikipedia’s platform.