Abstract
Wikipedia is the product of thousands of editors working collaboratively to provide free and up-to-date encyclopedic information to its users. This article asks to what degree Wikipedia articles in three languages --- Hindi, Urdu, and English --- achieve Wikipedia's mission of making neutrally-presented, reliable information on a polarizing, controversial topic available to people around the globe. We chose the topic of the recent revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India, which, along with other recent events in and concerning the region of Jammu and Kashmir, has drawn attention to related articles on Wikipedia. This work focuses on the English Wikipedia, being the preeminent language edition of the project, as well as the Hindi and Urdu editions. Hindi and Urdu are the two standardized varieties of Hindustani, a lingua franca of Jammu and Kashmir. We analyzed page view and revision data for three Wikipedia articles. Additionally, we interviewed editors from all three Wikipedias to learn differences in editing processes and motivations. While activity on South Asian language editions of Wikipedia is growing, at the time of writing, the Hindi and Urdu editions are still in their nascency. In Hindi and Urdu, as well as English, editors predominantly adhere to the principle of neutral point of view (NPOV), and these editors quash attempts by other editors to push political agendas.
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