Telstra wikipedia wars

Oh I don’t know what’s going on over at wikipedia (also called “NotNotableEnoughEncyclopedia” or “NotMadeInAmerica Wikipedia) about poor ol’ Sol Trujillo. From IT Wire:

Telstra heavies Wikipedia to protect CEO’s image
Reports have emerged revealing that, back in March this year, Telstra lawyers wrote to Wikipedia alleging that some parts of the entry on Telstra CEO Sol Trujillo were defamatory and demanding their immediate removal: Which may explain why his entry today is bereft of any reference to the many critical articles about him published in the early days of his Telstra leadership. (There is now a follow-up article on this issue)

So I had a squiz on Wikipedia’s TALK pages (not the main page) for TALK:Solomon Trujillo:

Updating this page

I’m Tarnya Dunning and I work in Telstra’s public affairs office [1]. I’m here to contribute information that will improve the quality of Telstra-related pages.

I am aware of Wikipedia’s policies and guidelines and I will abide by them.

My edits will be restricted to talk pages, and I will not engage in editing directly any Telstra-related page. Instead, I would volunteer information on the talk pages, and ask for Wikipedians’ help.

If you want to contact me, please leave a message on my talk page [2], or e-mail me at t.dunning@team.telstra.com —Preceding unsigned comment added by Tarnya Dunning (talk • contribs) 00:44, 12 April 2008 (UTC)

A typical response:

This is a smart way to engage Wikipedia users without directly editing the text. Smart move. WallyBalloo (talk) 03:18, 23 April 2008 (UTC)Walter Jennings (www.WallyDownUndy.com)

Note how Tarnya (how are you spelling that name … Tanya?) gives her real name.

Think about this for a moment. Your staff have to give their name – real name, full name and work email address – in a social broadcast channel. Not just the CEO and the C-level team, but public affairs people. This isn’t the usual discussion between a journalist and a PR person where both know the rules of engagement, but a throwing staff into the lions pit of social discussions. Customer service being attacked on forums, technical staff being harassed on blogs, some other employee being stalked, having their personal details published online, and otherwise being open to potentially thousands picking on them.

How much social/pubic affairs training did Taryna have before being asked to “handle the wikipedia issue”? Knowing Telstra, probably some. But how about you and your employees… are you ready? I’m not saying don’t do it, just have you thought it through?

Anyway, Jimmy Wales (founder of Wikipedia stepped in) :

Press reports are wildly inaccurate

The press is suggesting that Mr. Trujillo must have done something to get Wikipedia to take down legitimate criticism of him. This is absolutely false. Mr. Trujillo’s attorneys made a serious of justified complaints about an IP number inserting vicious libel against him, complaints which we dealt with appropriately and effectively. There has been absolutely no effort by those attorneys to remove legitimate criticism; indeed, nothing of the sort was even discussed.

It is sad to see a media so irresponsible as to make it seem that Wikipedia would cave to a few lawyers letters objecting to legitimate criticism. It is even sadder to see Mr. Trujillo attacked by that same irresponsible media for something that he did not do.

This article should be a good article. It should detail Mr. Trujillo’s career in a neutral and responsible fashion. It should contain both accomplishments and appropriate mention of legitimate criticism. The libel, which was disgusting lies put forward by an anonymous ip number who I hope Mr. Trujillo tracks down and punishes for their attacks, had nothing to do with his business work but was just a juvenile insult.–Jimbo Wales (talk) 14:48, 13 June 2008 (UTC)

Well we’ve had a series of situations in Australia where Aussies have been deemed “not notable” enough. Glad to see a non-Australian Aussie CEO made some waves.

For the record, I’m a fan of Sol Trujillo and started/admin the Sol Trujillo Fansite on Facebook. *shrugs*