JOURNAL ARTICLE

User-Generated Content Shapes Judicial Reasoning: Evidence from a Randomized Control Trial on Wikipedia.

  • Published In: Information Systems Research (INFORMS), 2024, v. 35, n. 4. P. 1948 1 of 3

  • Database: Business Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: C. Thompson, Neil; Luo, Xueyun; McKenzie, Brian; Richardson, Edana; Flanagan, Brian 3 of 3

Abstract

This article investigates the influence of user-generated content (UGC), specifically Wikipedia, on judicial reasoning through a randomized control trial involving 154 Irish Supreme Court cases. It finds that adding Wikipedia summaries of these cases causally increases their citation frequency in subsequent High Court decisions—courts of first instance with heavier workloads—but not in higher appellate courts, suggesting that time pressure may drive reliance on Wikipedia. Linguistic analysis reveals that the language of Wikipedia articles is echoed in judicial opinions, indicating direct use of Wikipedia content rather than merely serving as a pathway to original case law. The study highlights the tension between Wikipedia's accessibility and its uncertain reliability in professional legal contexts, underscoring the need for accurate, trustworthy UGC in domains with significant societal impact while delineating the boundaries of its influence within the judiciary.

Additional Information

  • Source:Information Systems Research (INFORMS). 2024/12, Vol. 35, Issue 4, p1948
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Communication and Mass Media
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:1047-7047
  • DOI:10.1287/isre.2023.0034
  • Accession Number:181625016
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Information Systems Research (INFORMS) is the property of INFORMS: Institute for Operations Research & the Management Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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