WJC Technology and Human Rights Institute Unveils New Report on Wikipedia’s Anti-Israel Bias

The WJC Technology and Human Rights Institute unveiled an exhibition on Monday announcing the release of its latest publication, “Manipulated History: Past Version vs. Present Subversion—The Growing Bias Against Israel on Wikipedia,” authored by Israeli author and editor Dr. Shlomit Aharoni Lir.

The exhibition displayed side-by-side comparisons of several case studies chosen to show the persistent and troubling patterns of anti-Israel bias on the English Wikipedia between 2023-2025, as a follow up to the Technology and Human Rights Institute’s 2024 report "The Bias Against Israel on Wikipedia."

The report aims to demonstrate how information regarding Israel and conflict-related issues is manipulated to reinforce a one-sided perspective, especially after the Hamas terror attacks on October 7th, 2023. Drawing on in-depth research and side-by-side comparisons of seven key articles, the report reveals how Wikipedia entries on topics such as Zionism, Jerusalem, and the 1948 war have been systematically edited to distort historical facts, erase Jewish connections to the land, and amplify one-sided narratives. These manipulations, often driven by coordinated groups of anonymous editors, shape global perceptions through search engines and AI systems that rely on Wikipedia content, reinforcing harmful stereotypes and fueling antisemitism.

“Wikipedia plays a vital role in shaping what people know about the world. When this knowledge is manipulated, it has real-world consequences, including the rise of antisemitism and hate,” said Yfat Barak-Cheney, Executive Director of the WJC Institute for Technology and Human Rights. “The WJC TecHRI has been engaging with the Wikimedia Foundation, along with research Dr. Shlomit Aharoni Lir, for stronger safeguards to ensure that free knowledge remains accurate, balanced, and truly free.”