Wikipedia Has A Problem by Kevin Wong CC BY 2.0 https://flic.kr/p/5ibhBx

Wikipedia Has A Problem by Kevin Wong CC BY 2.0 https://flic.kr/p/5ibhBx

Podcasts

The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 215: Jan Grabowski on Wikipedia’s Antisemitism Problem

This podcast drops on Monday, October 7th, the one-year anniversary of the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. I’ve largely kept the issue the rising tide of antisemitism since the Hamas terrorist attacks off the Law Bytes podcast, but those that follow my work will know that I have been vocal on social media and the mainstream media expressing my shock and concern. This episode blends my professional focus on digital policy with my personal concerns regarding antisemitism.

The alarming rise of antisemitism over the past year has left many – myself included – in shock. I see it in my social media mentions and on popular sites such as Wikipedia, where it has cropped up on entries involving issues like Zionism and even in the targeting of groups like the Anti-Defamation League. Wikipedia’s antisemitism problem may not have come as a surprise to Professor Jan Grabowski, a professor of Holocaust studies at the University of Ottawa.  He conducted a detailed study on the issue in 2023 which focused on the Holocaust page involving Poland, his area of expertise. Professor Grabowski joins the Law Bytes podcast to talk about his work, his Wikipedia study, and the threat of disinformation on the site.

The podcast can be downloaded here, accessed on YouTube, and is embedded below. Subscribe to the podcast via Apple Podcast, Google Play, Spotify or the RSS feed. Updates on the podcast on Twitter at @Lawbytespod.

Show Notes:

Grabowski and Klein, Wikipedia’s Intentional Distortion of the History of the Holocaust, Journal of Holocaust Research

Tabarovksy, Wikipedia’s Jewish Problem, Tablet Magazine

Credits:

MSNBC, ‘It’s Flat Out Wrong’: ADL Head Slams Wikipedia for Saying Org is Unreliable Source

6 Comments

  1. This episode serves as a crucial reminder of the ongoing struggle against antisemitism and the importance of addressing disinformation in digital spaces. Would you like to explore specific aspects of this topic further?

  2. The information by Professor Grabowski on his area of expertise is interesting and his study should be read. Unfortunate that it is being used here to support the claim that criticisms of the ADL are antisemitic. Not surprising since Geist seems to share the ADL’s obvious biases. The Guardian, among others, has reported extensively on the ADL and how they target activists and attempt to suppress criticism of Israel. The lack of intellectual honesty and rigour on this blog when it comes to this issue stands out like a sore thumb when compared with how Geist discusses digital policy.

    • Adam Kadmon says:

      Because most “criticism” of Israel is literally calling for the destruction of the only Jewish state in the world and rewriting Jewish history to deny or minimise their historical connection to the land when Palestinians are descendants of Arab colonisers who stole the land and imposed such crippling poll tax on Jews that forced most of them into exile in Europe merely to suffer centuries of genocides culminating in the Holocaust where 67% European Jews were killed. We can see so many encampments for the Hamas on our campuses but not which for the persecuted Uyghurs, Rohingyas, Tibetans, Venezuelans, Hongkongers alike. Don’t tell me “because the U.S. funds Israel” blah blah blah when they are full of bigotry towards Jews and finding pretexts for singling out Israel for the worst of evils just as Christian ultraconservatives (“MUH Synagogue of Satan”). Stop whining about the ADL until they stop rooting for the Hamas and get a grip or a life.

  3. Emma Watson says:

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  4. I have many hobbies. I love reading Wikipedia. But now I’m most interested in games. I especially saw an interesting review https://c24vip.com/casino-reviews/slots-magic/ where many games are presented. Now we often have fun with friends in the evenings.

  5. This is a great article and a great read as well. Thank you for sharing this with us.

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