IS IT TRUE BECAUSE IT IS ON THE INTERNET?
Wikipedia victim of its policy?
There are many websites inviting you to contribute. Wikipedia, the world’s largest virtual encyclopedia, is one of them. However, people can post false information.
Recently, a man posted false information on this online encyclopedia linking a prominent journalist to the Kennedy assassinations. What started as a joke, became serious business. The journalist involved wrote an op-editorial piece for USA Today blasting Wikipedia’s credibility.
This case raises questions about the liability of site owners, also given the fact that websites are accessible from almost every country. Wikipedia has many content watchers, which, however, cannot prevent all people from posting false information. I do not see any need for further regulation of the internet, but readers should be cautious and keep in mind that not all contributors are truthful.
Karel Frielink
Attorney (Lawyer) / Partner
