The CIA does it. The BBC does it. The Vatican does it. The U.S. Republican Party and the U.S. Democratic Party do it. Even Freemasons do it.Now the Australian government has been fingered for changing Wikipedia entries in a flagrant manner.
While the new agers are fond of saying "you create your own reality," it's people sitting at their computer keyboards, often on a corporate or government payroll, who are really changing reality to suit the whims of their bosses.
Prime Minister John Howard's gang in Australia are the latest reality-changers to be showcased in the media. They've been inserting the word "allegedly" into Wiki articles that they haven't just outright deleted.
The most amusing changes, tracked through the new website WikiScanner, the folks Down Under have made is adding "Freemasonry is the work of Satan" and "Jesus is god" to apparently random entries.
But the strangest addition to a Wikipedia article by the Prime Minister of Australia's department has to be this bit of meaningless juvenile pablum, appended to an article about martial arts: "poo bum dicky wee wee."
Update, Monday, August 27: Australian Prime Minister John Howard has denied ordering his staff to make edits on Wikipedia entries, and the Australian Department of Defense has moved to block access from their computers to Wikipedia, according to the Herald Sun of Melbourne, Australia.
Wikipedia | WikiScanner | Prime Minister John Howard | Australian | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com
no shock there.
ReplyDeletejohn howard is the worst thing to happen to this country, and i stand appalled watching as we're slowly being turned into americans.
this country used to mean something good and reasonable. now we're simply another state of the almighty disgrace that is america.
no peace, and never be blessed,
c.z
That's amazing. Have missed your blog (and mine) for a month or so because I've been so busy - loads to catch up on, keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteBen
One point that seems to be getting lost is that, even though people are posting from corporate sites, it is doubtful that many of them are doing so in an approved or official capacity.
ReplyDeleteI'm typing this comment right now on my office computer. Does that mean my company is responsible for what I say?
Not really. Nut jobs who post online at home also post while at work.
I would start by putting the blame on the poster, not their IP address.
John
Corporations are responsible for what is done via their computer systems.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, a recent new federal law requires companies with over a certain number of employees who who have government contracts to keep all emails sent or received by their systems.
— W.S.
Looks like the Wiki article on the UGLA has been completely deleted now, unless the page has moved from the link you provided in your
ReplyDeleteoriginal post from 2006 on the subject.
One thing you can look into is to do some digging around on the editors/deleters of the article. There is a large group of resident masonic editors on Wikipedia that virtually control the entire site as it is related to Masonry - even remotely related.
It is quite an eyefull, and a story I think you have only scratched the surface on.
There is a large group of resident masonic editors on Wikipedia that virtually control the entire site as it is related to Masonry - even remotely related.
ReplyDeleteSmells a little like a... a... a konspiracy, dunnit?