Wikimedia appeals India court's content takedown order

The Wikimedia Foundation, which operates Wikipedia, has challenged an order from India's Supreme Court. The court ordered Wikimedia to take down a page that discusses a legal dispute with the news agency ANI. Wikimedia argues that the removal of the page is wrong and will harm free speech. ANI had previously sued Wikimedia for how it was described on Wikipedia. ANI claims the site labeled it as a "propaganda tool" for the government. The company wanted edits that presented this view to be removed. In October, the Delhi High Court ruled that Wikimedia must take down another Wikipedia page connected to the ongoing legal dispute. Wikimedia's new appeal seeks to overturn this ruling, claiming it violates its right to share information about court proceedings. During a preliminary hearing on Monday, the Supreme Court recognized the case involves freedom of the media. It asked ANI to respond to Wikimedia's legal challenge. ANI's lawyer did not provide comments due to the ongoing case. Wikimedia's appeal filing emphasizes that the removal of content creates a chilling effect on free speech and limits access to knowledge. The Supreme Court plans to hear the case again on April 4. This legal action comes as other tech companies like Twitter have also fought content removal orders in India.