In an interview with Tagesspiegel, Anita Gohdes warns that the use of “doxxing” techniques could be used to silence dissent in other spaces as well.
The Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think tank with close ties to the Trump administration, is targeting anonymous Wikipedia editors by attempting to expose their identities.
A document published by the Jewish-American news site Forward reveals the organisation’s plan to "identify and target" editors it accuses of "abusing" their position, particularly those it deems politically biased or antisemitic. These tactics involve using “doxxing” techniques, such as gathering IP addresses and analysing writing patterns, to uncover the individuals behind the edits – a strategy often employed to intimidate or silence dissenting voices.
Speaking to Taggespiegel, Anita Gohdes, faculty member and Professor of International and Cyber Security at the Hertie School warns that these tactics mirror those used by authoritarian regimes to control information. She notes that while direct government involvement in doxxing is unlikely, such intimidation efforts by pro-government groups could set a dangerous precedent.
"Once the techniques have been used, it is very tempting to try them out in other areas as well," Gohdes cautions.
Gohdes also points to broader trends in digital repression in the U.S., recalling how the Trump administration attempted to force web hosts to disclose the IP addresses of users visiting protest-related websites in 2017. Experts worry that once such tactics are normalised, they could be expanded beyond Wikipedia to silence dissent in other spaces.
This kind of information control policy, often seen in authoritarian regimes, is surfacing in the United States and reflects a broader effort to manipulate digital spaces. The targeting of Wikipedia editors signals a troubling shift in how information is controlled and contested, raising urgent concerns about free expression, online privacy, and the integrity of open knowledge.
Read Gohdes’ full interview and other insights in Taggespiegel (in German) here.
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