Not all Wikipedias are the same: The Italian Wikipedia’s unique approach to the Ukrainian war

This article investigates the delayed publication of the Italian Wikipedia entry on the Russian–Ukrainian war. While most language versions of Wikipedia promptly published articles on the conflict, the Italian version exhibited a notable delay. This study explores the reasons behind this delay, revealing that it was not driven by political pressures but rather by a distinct editorial philosophy within the Italian Wikipedia community. Unlike other language versions, Italian Wikipedia editors uphold a more conservative interpretation of what is appropriate for an encyclopaedia, favouring stability and verification over immediacy. Through a qualitative analysis of talk pages and sixteen semi-structured interviews with editors, this research highlights how these editorial norms shaped the approach to covering the war. The findings contribute to a broader understanding of how different Wikipedia communities negotiate knowledge production, emphasizing the role of cultural and epistemic values in shaping collaborative digital platforms.