Wikipedia displayed a Wired reporter’s photo on Evan Spiegel’s page for around one week, creating confusion about the Snap CEO’s appearance. Maxwell Zeff, a technology reporter, said the error began on April 26 when a user with the handle Artem G changed the Wikipedia photo to Zeff’s own picture, calling it a "Newer photo." Zeff said, "Very flattering but that is indeed me, and not the CEO of Snap" [1].
The incorrect image showed up on Spiegel’s Wikipedia page, Google Search results, and in Google Gemini responses, amplifying the mistake beyond Wikipedia itself [1]. Zeff said he had never met Spiegel and highlighted the unusual situation by sharing his confused reactions [1].
After the initial change, another Wikipedia editor corrected the photo and correctly identified it as Zeff, not Spiegel. However, within hours, Artem G reverted that correction and restored Zeff’s photo on the page again, telling other editors, "Nah, new photo is better, take it to the talk page if you must" [1].
Zeff first noticed the mistaken photo on Sunday and confirmed it was still live by the day of the report, stating it had persisted for about one week [1]. On Monday, Zeff saw a social media post calling attention to the error. The following day, the photo was still there, and a Snap employee reportedly texted a mutual contact about the issue [1].
The Wikipedia revision history shows the first photo swap occurred on April 26, with back-and-forth edits afterward. The persistence of the incorrect photo across platforms highlighted weaknesses in Wikipedia’s image oversight and its ripple effects on search engines [1].
No formal correction date or removal timeline has been published, but Wikipedia editors have been actively responding to restore the correct image. Zeff’s case underscores how open-edit platforms can cause unexpected identity mix-ups, especially for public figures.
Editors and interested parties continue to monitor the Spiegel Wikipedia entry for accurate representation.
