Wikimedia, the nonprofit that oversees the Wikipedia project, has
sent a cease-and-desist letter
to WikiPR, an astroturfing company that pays people to distort
Wikipedia entries on behalf of clients who want to erase embarrassing
history or boost their image (or both). WikiPR is thought to be behind
hundreds of sockpuppet accounts that made thousands of edits over
several years.
To assist in the assessment, the WMF retained Cooley LLP to review and
investigate allegations that a company named Wiki-PR has been engaging
in paid advocacy editing, in contravention of the Wikimedia Foundation’s
website Terms of Use. While the WMF and Cooley were investigating this
question, the Wikimedia community banned Wiki-PR and anyone receiving
financial benefits from Wiki-PR from editing until certain conditions
were met.
Today, Cooley LLP, on behalf of the WMF, sent the cease and desist
letter below to the CEO of Wiki-PR, demanding that Wiki-PR “cease and
desist from further editing the Wikipedia website unless and until
[they] have fully complied with the terms and conditions outlined by the
Wikimedia Community.”
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