A former editor at Wikipedia says that the online encyclopedia engaged in a multiyear smear campaign against conservative radio host Mark Levin.
T. D. Adler previously edited for Wikipedia under the name “The Devil’s Advocate” and currently writes under an alias to mitigate blowback for criticizing the website. He wrote in a piece published on Breitbart that Wikipedia’s editors have been purposely undermining Levin’s credibility with edits since he accused then-President Barack Obama of using “police-state tactics” in 2017.
Adler said that following Levin’s criticism, which stemmed from the Obama administration’s use of intercepts and Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrants, Wikipedia editors started editing his page to discredit him. A number of those attacks appeared in articles during the time leading up to the premiere of his show on Fox News.
“Levin warned his audience during his show early in 2018 to ‘Avoid Wikipedia like the plague’ after reading the content that had been added to his page,” Adler wrote. “Since then, Levin’s article has been expanded with even more slanted negative material and most efforts to remove smears have been repeatedly rejected.”
One Wikipedia editor, “Snooganssnoogans,” allegedly accused a Levin claim about Obama administration surveillance and wire-tapping of being made “without evidence,” despite a link citation to an article from the Guardian showing his source.
“Using the wire-tapping allegations as precedent, editor ‘Localemediamonitor’ began including what the editor claimed were ‘past similar allegations [and] controversies’ in the article,” Adler added. “Snooganssnoogans also added material in this vein and both editors considerably expanded the section with more negative material over the following months.”
When other people tried to remove the anti-Levin changes that editors had made, Adler said that Snooganssnoogans “repeatedly undid” the edits “well in excess of what is allowed by Wikipedia policy” and was not sanctioned.
“Another prolonged fight erupted in 2019 when the editor added viciously negative reviews from several left-wing outlets about one of Levin’s books,” Adler wrote. “When another editor tried to add conservative praise, Snooganssnoogans sought to have those reviewers labeled conservative to downplay them, despite left-wing reviews having no such label, and, when that was rejected, repeatedly removed the favorable reviews.”
Levin responded to Adler’s article, referring to the website’s actions as “character assassination.”
“I am deeply appreciative of T.D. Adler and Brietbart for spending a great deal of time analyzing Wikipedia’s years’ long smears, lies, and spin campaign against my character and career. Thank you!” Levin tweeted Tuesday. “I had no idea that either had undertaken this task. And I hope Levinites will read this post (link follows) and share it via your email lists, etc.”
2. I had no idea that either had undertaken this task. And I hope Levinites will read this post (link follows) and share it via your email lists, etc. https://t.co/kXChQT7ZoN
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) July 14, 2020
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect Fox News did not repeat attacks against Mark Levin.
