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Wikipedia, the crowd-sourced online encyclopedia, has emerged as a vast repository of information, accessible to millions globally. However, the platforms open editing model has also made it susceptible to manipulation and bias, raising concerns about the reliability of its content. Malign actors, including the terrorist regime in Iran, have been known to organize coordinated editing campaigns to influence the content on Wikipedia and thus mislead a population that strives for the truth.

On January 7, the Times of London reported that Wikipedia entries have been changed to downgrade Iranian human rights atrocities and other abuses, raising concerns that agents or supporters are using the site to manipulate publicly available information about the hostile regime. Information has also been changed to discredit Iranian dissident groups, while government publications have been presented as impartial news sources on the free online encyclopedia.

On January 15, Dr. Majid Rafizadeh, a political scientist and board member of the Harvard International Review, wrote in Townhall, Wikipedia, relying on a community of volunteers to edit and maintain its content, has become a prime target for spreading disinformation and state propaganda. While Wikipedia has guidelines in place to ensure neutrality and accuracy, these guidelines can be manipulated and abused by well-organized and well-financed groups that infiltrate the site.

Explaining how Tehran has succeeded in feeding Wikipedia pages with unverified accusations as factual content on Wikipedia, Dr. Rafizadeh adds, The Iranian government has been known to spend significant sums of money to manipulate Western journalists and portray the principal Iranian opposition group, Mujahedin-e-Khalq, as a cult. These efforts involve social media campaigns, dissemination of fake news, provision of grants for biased reports, and even direct hiring of reporters. By presenting unverified claims as facts, the regime seeks to discredit its main opposition and shape public opinion.

For instance, on the English language Wikipedia page for Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran, the writing suggests that At one point the MEK was Irans largest and most active armed dissident group, [18] and it is still sometimes presented by Western political backers as a major Iranian opposition group,[19][20][21] but it is also deeply unpopular today within Iran, largely due to its siding with Iraq in IranIraq War.[22][23]

The sources of this statement, which carries a significant amount of misinformation, are articles from reputable outlets. However, its noteworthy that the authors, who have historically expressed hostile views toward the organization, contribute to the narrative.

Notably, Saeed Kamali Dehghan, a reporter for The Guardian often cited in support of these claims, has a professional history with Fars News Agency, operated by Irans Revolutionary Guards (IRGC). For the record, heres the linkto his old press card.

For a regime whose official representatives openly admit that suppressing the MEK is the primary focus in any negotiation with foreign nations, it is not surprising that the manipulation of information sources for those seeking to understand the regimes primary perceived threat is prevalent. Consequently, the Persian-language Wikipedia page on the MEK, with more than 9,000 words, is evidently crafted with bias and contains a substantial amount of misinformation and disinformation.

However, the battle to dominate the narratives is not unique to the regime in Iran.

On October 17, 2022, Wired Magazine wrote, Governments have good reasons to influence Wikipedia: 1.8 billion unique devices are used to visit Wikimedia Foundation sites each month, and its pages are regularly among the top results for Google searches.

In 2021, a Chinese Wikipedia editor was found to have spent years writing 200 articles of fabricated history of medieval Russia, complete with imaginary states, aristocrats, and battles, Wired adds while also noting, Governments also often have more blunt tools at their disposal. Over the years, authoritarian leaders have blocked the site,taken its governing organization to court, andarrested its editors.

As per Wireds investigations, the issue of self-serving Wikipedia edits has persisted on the platform for an extended period. In 2007, the tech magazine published a story detailing the findings of a Caltech graduate who meticulously traced millions of changes made to Wikipedia pages.

The result: A database of 34.4 million edits, performed by 2.6 million organizations or individuals ranging from the CIA to Microsoft to Congressional offices, now linked to the edits they or someone at their organizations net address has made, Wired reported. Some of this appears to be transparently self-interested, either adding positive, press release-like material to entries or deleting whole swaths of critical material.

Wikipedias open editing model allows users to create multiple accounts, known as sockpuppets, to amplify a particular viewpoint or control discussions. These accounts, often operated by a single entity, can be used to sway content in a desired direction. Deliberate insertion of false information, biased perspectives, or outright vandalism can occur on Wikipedia pages.

The scenario of Irans regime utilizing Wikipedia as a battleground for narrative control highlights the necessity for individuals to approach online information, particularly on sensitive topics like Iranian politics, with a discerning mindset. Navigating the vast sea of data demands meticulous fact-checking, logical analysis, and an appreciation of historical contexts.

In an era where information abundance coexists with susceptibility to manipulation, the resonance of the famous saying becomes evident: In the age of information, ignorance is a choice.

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In the War for Narratives Iran's Regime Takes to Wikipedia - NCRI - National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)