[trorseIrripsy]

An online tool that claims to reveal the identity of organisations that edit Wikipedia pages has revealed that the CIA was involved in editing entries.

Wikipedia Scanner allegedly shows that workers on the agency's computers made edits to the page of Iran's President.

It also purportedly shows that the Vatican has edited entries about Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6947532.stm
Some examples of how these organisations are putting their time to good use.
On the profile of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the tool indicates that a worker on the CIA network reportedly added the exclamation "Wahhhhhh!" before a section on the leader's plans for his presidency.

When asked whether it could confirm whether the changes had been made by a person using a CIA computer, a spokesperson responded: "I cannot confirm that the traffic you cite came from agency computers.


]"I'd like in any case to underscore a far larger and more significant point that no one should doubt or forget: The CIA has a vital mission in protecting the United States, and the focus of this agency is there, on that decisive work." Apparently protecting the United States consists of editing Wikipedia pages.

The site also indicates that a computer owned by the US Democratic Party was used to make changes to the site of right-wing talk show host Rush Limbaugh.

The changes brand Mr Limbaugh as "idiotic," a "racist", and a "bigot". An entry about his audience now reads: "Most of them are legally retarded." The site also indicates that Vatican computers were used to remove content from a page about the Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams.

The edit removed links to newspaper stories written in 2006 that alleged that Adams's finger prints and hand prints were found on a car used during a double murder in 1971. Is this how the Catholic Church now deals with pardons? Saves time at confession I bet.

[arrismVam]

Its a public database that anyone can edit.

People are now getting in an uproar over it, but its been happening for a long time, and will continue to happen as long as the content remains open to the public. Which is why I take anything read off wiki's with a grain of salt.

[Lotyqnag]

Bush fanboys FTL!

[vasyasvc]

I mean really though what's the big deal that they edited a page like that at work. They were probably reading some report about how the Iran president was blowing up innocent people or something and got pissed and so resorted to that exacting revenge, slander! Oh my goodness you mean someone dared to insult someone else on the internet! Wow ground breaking stuff.

[Lotyqnag]

I mean really though what's the big deal that they edited a page like that at work. They were probably reading some report about how the Iran president was blowing up innocent people or something and got pissed and so resorted to that exacting revenge, slander! Oh my goodness you mean someone dared to insult someone else on the internet! Wow ground breaking stuff.

An organization like the CIA, or its workers, should be above putting things like "waaaaah!" in Wikipedia entries.

[Sakkola]

An organization like the CIA, or its workers, should be above putting things like "waaaaah!" in Wikipedia entries.

lol

Every person on this earth is human, including those that work for the CIA, believe it or not. I don't see why anyone would really care what people do with their free time, especially if it's just some dumb comment on the interweb.

[Beragagnu]

But Wait.... There's More.

Nick Bilton calls Condoleeza Rice a "concert penis"
by Anonymous

The same NYTimes guy that edited a lot of entries to childish, immature name-calling also edited Condoleeza Rice's desire to be a concert pianist. NICK BILTON did it! Republicans trying to re-write history of Iraq War?
by Scribe

Republican Party changes the "Post-Saddam" section of the Baath Party article to a different account of the war, changing the language from "US-led occupation" to "US-led liberation." Dow removes references to Bhopal, Agent Orange, Breast Implants
by Kenneth Rainey

Dow purges an entire section labeled 'Environmental and human rights controversies' that included information about the Bhopal disaster, Agent Orange, and silicone breast implants. BBC: George "******" Bush
by smb1971

The BBC labels President Bush a "******" Damn you swear filter! The censored word starts with "W" and rhymes with "Tanker".

BBC forget to mention that some of the vandalism came from their own IP addresses.

[Lotyqnag]

lol

Every person on this earth is human, including those that work for the CIA, believe it or not. I don't see why anyone would really care what people do with their free time, especially if it's just some dumb comment on the interweb.

But this wasn't done in their free time. This was done on CIA computers at work.

[salomal-qask]

I edit the Star Wars Galaxies page every so often to remind people how much that game sucked.

But they always revert it! @#!@#!

[Sakkola]

But this wasn't done in their free time. This was done on CIA computers at work.

So? People have free time at work. I have even known people at my office who take breaks! Can you believe that?

[pooncophy]

good! This is exactly why having a transparent information system is a good idea- people will always figure it out, and there will be a backlash against doing the wrong thing. Shame on those who abuse it.

[ariniaxia]

so is it a good thing that a SERIOUS organization that is SUPPOSE to save your arse in stuff like 911 is busily editing wikipedia in their FREE TIME.... [rofl]


military and intelligence are discipline force for a reason. i would expect them to at least cover their butt and use tons of proxies.

i doubt the CIA edited them. could be the Russian elite hackers...

[Sakkola]

so is it a good thing that a SERIOUS organization that is SUPPOSE to save your arse in stuff like 911 is busily editing wikipedia in their FREE TIME.... [rofl]

I didn't say it was a good thing, I didn't say that people should do it. But they are people none the less and it doesn't really matter if someone makes a stupid comment to a wikipedia article. I mean, you are making it sound like they spent hours typing "Wahhhhhh!" instead of doing their job, when in reality you know jack **** about what happened, who they are, or what they do.

[ariniaxia]

I didn't say it was a good thing, I didn't say that people should do it. But they are people none the less and it doesn't really matter if someone makes a stupid comment to a wikipedia article. I mean, you are making it sound like they spent hours typing "Wahhhhhh!" instead of doing their job, when in reality you know jack **** about what happened, who they are, or what they do.

oh? military and intelligence are discipline force for a reason. i would expect them to at least cover their butt and use tons of proxies. you are not just "somebody" when you are using a government computer too, there is actually a law governing it's use if you ain't aware of it. so it isn't even 100% legal to "play" online using government IP.

and i do know, i seen intelligence officers work, and they generally know when to cover their butt official OR unofficial.

[Sakkola]

You are just somebody. There are a lot of people who work at the CIA, not all of them are intelligence officers handling top secret documents. They are all human, whether anyone wants to believe so or not. One comment on wikipedia is not a big deal at all.

[uC4F0NVL]

It was probably the receptionist