Ted Cruz Accuses Wikipedia of Left-Wing Bias, Citing Research from Conservative Think Tank
US Senator Ted Cruz has written to the Wikimedia Foundation, accusing Wikipedia of having a left-wing bias in its articles. In a letter dated October 3, Cruz alleged that Wikipedia's reliance on certain news outlets and labeling others as unreliable perpetuates this bias.
According to the letter obtained by Ars Technica, Cruz cited research from the conservative Manhattan Institute, which found evidence of systemic bias on Wikipedia. The senator requested documents that reveal how Wikipedia determines which sources are considered reliable or not.
Cruz's accusations come as a surprise to many in the tech community, who have long regarded Wikipedia as a neutral and trustworthy source of information. However, some experts say that Cruz's claims may be valid, given the platform's reliance on user-generated content.
"Wikipedia began with a noble concept: crowdsource human knowledge using verifiable sources and make it free to the public," Cruz wrote in his letter. "That's what makes reports of Wikipedia's systemic bias especially troubling."
Cruz's concerns are not entirely unfounded. A study published by the Manhattan Institute in 2020 found that Wikipedia articles often cited liberal-leaning news outlets such as MSNBC and CNN, while labeling conservative outlets like Fox News as unreliable.
"This is a classic case of confirmation bias," said Dr. Robert Epstein, a senior research psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology. "Wikipedia's algorithms are designed to favor certain types of content over others, which can lead to biased results."
The Wikimedia Foundation has yet to respond to Cruz's letter or address his concerns about bias on the platform. However, in a statement released earlier this year, the organization acknowledged that it takes allegations of bias seriously and is committed to maintaining the neutrality of its articles.
"Wikipedia is a collaborative project that relies on the contributions of thousands of volunteers around the world," said Maryana Iskander, CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation. "We take all allegations of bias seriously and are committed to ensuring that our articles reflect a neutral point of view."
The controversy surrounding Wikipedia's bias has sparked a heated debate in the tech community, with some calling for greater transparency and accountability from the platform.
As the issue continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the future of Wikipedia's neutrality hangs in the balance.
This story was compiled from reports by Ars Technica and Ars Technica.
