New media writer Stephen Downes said the documentary was captivating for its ability to place Wikipedia within the wider context of the Web 3.0 social phenomenon.

Director IJsbrand van Veelen examines questions about Wikipedia, such as whether it will harm traditional encyclopaedias, including Encyclopædia Britannica.

[5][6] The documentary notes that within the period of 2006 to 2008, Wikipedia has increasingly been recognized as one of the top most popular websites, and that it often rivaled Google for those searching for information on the Internet.

[1] Andrew Keen is featured prominently in the documentary, and puts forth a thesis that veracity of information should be determined by experts who should function as guardians for such material.

[5][7] Keen says that without expert gatekeepers to discern what actual facts are, the danger exists that the wider community may simply invent its own perceived truths.

[4] Sanger acknowledges that in the early stages of Wikipedia, factual accuracy of articles was neglected in favor of a drive to increase raw content on the fledgling website.

[8][9] The documentary utilized 60 seconds of footage from a video made by Chris Pirillo, who later objected that such usage was done without obtaining his permission or crediting him with the content.

[17] The Truth According to Wikipedia received a positive review in the journal Film Quarterly, where author Ben Walters‌ called the documentary, "a sharp and wide-ranging overview of wikipistemology".

[1] In a report entitled Teaching Seven Revolutions: A Tool Kit for Educating Globally Competent Citizens published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the documentary was given a rating of: "Good – especially if students think Wikipedia is the one source for everything".

[21] Designer and commentator in the fields of online learning and new media Stephen Downes characterized The Truth According to Wikipedia as a fascinating documentary both about its website of focus and the larger phenomenon of Web 2.0.