If they modify academic papers’ actual source content they would lose all of their trust. Imagine they doctor some data just to create more diffs

They modify it all the time by providing different access formats and with editors. But it does not change the meaning. Whitespaces do not alter the meaning.

    Whitespaces do not alter the meaning.
 

Whitespaces do not alter the meaning.

White spaces do not alter them

eaning.

M e a n i n g

I know what you mean, but if you read the context, it is unnoticed.