US lawmakers launch inquiry into alleged Wikipedia manipulation by foreign actors and organised groups
The US.House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has launched an investigation into possible coordinated efforts by foreign actors, academic institutions, and organized groups to manipulate Wikipedia content and influence U.S. public opinion. In a letter to Wikimedia CEO Maryana Iskander, lawmakers requested records on editor misconduct, neutrality safeguards, and analyses of potential bias patterns, particularly regarding conflicts involving Israel. Wikimedia has until September 10, 2025, to provide the requested information.
The US House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has opened an investigation into possible attempts by foreign actors, academic institutions, and organised groups to manipulate Wikipedia content in order to influence US public opinion.
In a letter addressed to Maryana Iskander, Chief Executive Officer of the Wikimedia Foundation, lawmakers requested extensive documentation on how the platform handles coordinated editing efforts and enforces its neutrality policies. The Committee’s inquiry, led by Chairman James Comer and Subcommittee Chairwoman Nancy Mace, seeks to determine the scale and methods of potential information manipulation targeting sensitive topics.
The letter cites several recent reports highlighting Wikipedia’s vulnerability to organised influence campaigns. A March 2025 report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) raised concerns about systematic attempts to introduce anti-Israel and antisemitic bias into articles related to conflicts involving the State of Israel. Another investigation, published by the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) in April 2025, detailed how pro-Kremlin networks allegedly altered Wikipedia content to promote anti-Western narratives. According to lawmakers, such changes not only reach general audiences but may also affect AI chatbot training, as Wikipedia data is often used in machine learning models.
The Committee has requested a range of information from Wikimedia, covering the period 1 January 2023, to the present. This includes records of possible coordination by nation state actors and academic institutions, details from the Wikipedia Arbitration Committee on editor conduct disputes, identifying information of sanctioned editors, and documentation of editorial policies and neutrality safeguards. The lawmakers also ask for analyses conducted by Wikimedia or third parties on bias patterns, particularly concerning coverage of Israel-related conflicts.
Wikimedia has until 10 September 2025, to comply with the request. The Committee emphasised its oversight authority under House Rule X, allowing it to investigate any matter at any time.
