1. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  2. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  3. _____ _ _ _____ __ __
  4. | __ \ (_) | | | __ \| \/ | Wiki & Resources:
  5. | |__) |_ __ ___ _ ___ ___| |_| |__) | \ / | http://www.echelon2.org/wiki/Main_Page
  6. | ___/| '__/ _ \| |/ _ \/ __| __| ___/| |\/| |
  7. | | | | | (_) | | __/ (__| |_| | | | | |
  8. |_| |_| \___/| |\___|\___|\__|_| |_| |_| Chat: irc.project-pm.org
  9. _/ |
  10. |__/
  11.  
  12. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  13. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  14.  
  15. INTRODUCTION:
  16.  
  17. "UK PR firm Bell Pottinger looks out for its clients -- so much so that it edits their Wikipedia pages, reports Dave Lee at the BBC.
  18.  
  19. And that doesn't sit well with the big wigs at the online encyclopedia.
  20.  
  21. Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales in particular doesn't appreciate his site being used as a PR platform, telling the BBC that he was "highly critical of their ethics" and "embarrassed their clients."
  22.  
  23. Then, he slammed Bell Pottinger some more: "I offered to pop by their office next week and give them a speech on ethical editing of Wikipedia - but I guess they didn't think that was too amusing so they didn't respond."
  24.  
  25. Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/pr-firm-bell-pottinger-wikipedia-jimmy-wales-2011-12?
  26.  
  27.  
  28.  
  29. QORVIS DOES ITS OWN DIRTY WORK:
  30.  
  31. Bell Pottinger is not the only PR firm editing Wikipedia for its clients. US based QORVIS has its own long history of edits at the site. But unlike Bell Pottinger, who were caught out bragging about their 'extensive edits' and secretly recorded, QORVIS made it public themselves.
  32.  
  33. There is a lengthy page of Wikipedia edits for an unnamed user with the IP 38.100.14.250.
  34.  
  35. Check-host - http://check-host.net/ip-info?host=38.100.14.250
  36. Robotex - http://www.robtex.com/ip/38.100.14.250.html
  37.  
  38. The IP belongs to gw20.qorvisnet.com.
  39.  
  40.  
  41.  
  42. A WIKIPEDIA TEAM:
  43.  
  44. User 38.100.14.250 was not alone. Another 3 named accounts made their way around the same pages all of which appear to have a connection to QORVIS as clients or staff.
  45.  
  46. As this appears to have a degree of co-ordination behind it, it backs up accounts of online manipulation or 'black arts' from the Geo-Political Solutions division of QORVIS.
  47.  
  48. (For More: See 'Attack on Maryam al-Khawaja' at http://www.echelon2.org/wiki/Qorvis)
  49.  
  50.  
  51.  
  52. QORVIS EDITS OF CLIENTS OR STAFF PAGES:
  53.  
  54. Below are some examples of QORVIS edits made by the following users:
  55.  
  56. USER: 38.100.14.250 Edit history - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?limit=50&tagFilter=&title=Special%3AContributions&contribs=user&target=38.100.14.250&namespace=&tagfilter=&year=&month=-1
  57.  
  58. USER: Underscore77 Edit history - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Contributions&limit=500&target=Underscore77
  59.  
  60. USER: Aadd01 Edit history - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Contributions&limit=600&target=Aadd01
  61.  
  62. USER: Ratfinx Edit history - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Ratfinx
  63.  
  64. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  65.  
  66. Client - Assisted Living Federation of America (promotor of 'Silver Alert'). Their website is created by Qorvis.
  67. Wiki edit history - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Silver_Alert&limit=250&action=history
  68. Created and edited by: Underscore77 Edited by: Aadd01, 38.100.14.250.
  69.  
  70.  
  71. Client/Staff??? Edward Weidenfeld
  72. Wiki edit history - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Edward_Weidenfeld&limit=250&action=history
  73. Created and edited by: Aadd01 Edited by: 38.100.14.250.
  74.  
  75.  
  76. Client - Equatorial Guinea (http://blogs.reuters.com/africanews/2010/08/26/equatorial-guineas-pr-crisis/)
  77. Wiki edit history of US Embassy in Malabo - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_States_Embassy_in_Malabo&action=history
  78. Created & edited by: Ratfinx
  79. Wiki edit history of 17th Ordinary African Union Summit - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=17th_Ordinary_African_Union_Summit&action=history
  80. Created & edited by: Ratfinx
  81. Wiki edit history of Bioko - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bioko&action=history
  82. Edited by: Ratfinx
  83. Wiki edit history of Embassy of Equatorial Guinea in Washington, D.C. - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Embassy_of_Equatorial_Guinea_in_Washington,_D.C.&action=history
  84. Edited by: Ratfinx
  85. Wiki edit history of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Teodoro_Obiang_Nguema_Mbasogo&action=history
  86. Edited by: Ratfinx
  87.  
  88.  
  89. Client - Fiji (http://rawfijinews.wordpress.com/2011/12/11/fiji-hires-washington-black-arts-company/)
  90. Wiki edit history of Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Frank_Bainimarama&action=history
  91. Edited by: Ratfinx
  92.  
  93.  
  94. Client - Finmeccanica, military contractor (http://www.qorvis.com/node/802)
  95. Wiki edit history for Simone Bemporad (CEO of Finmeccanica) - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Simone_Bemporad&action=history
  96. Edited by: Aadd01
  97.  
  98.  
  99. Client/Staff??? - Jason A. Johnson
  100. Wiki edit history - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jason_A._Johnson&limit=250&action=history
  101. Created and edited by: Underscore77 Edited by:38.100.14.250
  102.  
  103.  
  104. Client - Koch Industries
  105. Wiki edit history - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Koch_Industries&limit=500&action=history
  106. Edited by: Aadd01
  107.  
  108.  
  109. Client - Kuwait (http://www.odwyerpr.com/blog/index.php?/archives/2782-Qorvis-Works-Kuwait-PR-Beat.html)
  110. Wiki edit history for Prime Minister Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jaber_Al-Mubarak_Al-Hamad_Al-Sabah&limit=500&action=history
  111. Edited by: Ratfinx, Aadd01, 38.100.14.250.
  112.  
  113.  
  114. Client - Massey Energy (http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/qorvis-clients-excel-with-new-advertising-campaigns-130579713.html)
  115. Wiki edit history for Massey Energy - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Massey_Energy&action=history
  116. Edited by: Aadd01
  117. Wiki edit history for Upper Big Branch Mine disaster (Massey Energy own the mine) - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Upper_Big_Branch_Mine_disaster&limit=250&action=history
  118. Edited by: 38.100.14.250, Aadd01
  119.  
  120.  
  121. Client - Mexico (http://www.capitolcommunicator.com/News/tabid/116/EntryID/542/Default.aspx)
  122. Wiki edit history of Mexico's Ambassador to the US Arturo Sarukhán - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Arturo_Sarukh%C3%A1n&action=history
  123. Edited by: Edited by: Underscore77, Aadd01, 38.100.14.250.
  124.  
  125.  
  126. Client - Mike Rowe (http://www.mikeroweworks.com/2010/09/i-make-america-campaign/)
  127. Wiki edit history - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mike_Rowe&limit=250&action=history
  128. Edited by: Aadd01
  129.  
  130.  
  131. Client - Plasan, Israeli owned military contractor (http://www.bloomberg.co.jp/apps/news?pid=90970900&sid=ak1AcMxkZlX4)
  132. Wiki edit history for MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle) - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MRAP&limit=250&action=history
  133. Edited by: 38.100.14.250
  134.  
  135.  
  136. Client??? PQ Media
  137. Wiki edit history - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=PQ_Media&action=history
  138. Created and edited by: Ratfinx. Edited by Avalos2008.
  139.  
  140.  
  141. Employee - Sam Dealey
  142. Wiki edit history - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sam_Dealey&action=history
  143. Edited by Ratfinx and Avalos2008.
  144.  
  145.  
  146. Client - Sri Lanka (http://www.globalpeacesupport.com/globalpeacesupport.com/post/2011/03/31/Partners-jump-ship-in-Sri-Lankas-US-lobby-firm.aspx)
  147. Wiki edit history for Jaliya Wickramasuriya (Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Mexico & USA) - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jaliya_Wickramasuriya&action=history
  148. Edited by: Aadd01, Underscore77
  149.  
  150.  
  151. Client - Vitol (http://www.qorvis.com/node/824)
  152. Wiki edit history - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vitol&limit=250&action=history
  153. Edited by: Aadd01, 38.100.14.250.
  154.  
  155.  
  156. Client - Washington Kastles, pro tennis team (http://www.qorvis.com/blog/index.php/2011/06/30/qorvis-and-the-washington-kastles/)
  157. Wiki edit history - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Washington_Kastles&action=history
  158. Edited by: 38.100.14.250, Ratfinx.
  159.  
  160. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  161.