LinuxToday Editor Apologizes For Astroturfing

Thanks to Dean Pannell (and Paul Ferris for the initial head's up) for pointing out the apology and statement of fact from Kevin Reichard, the Executive Editor of LinuxToday. I think the argument that people would know that "George Tirebiter" was merely a contrivance is weak, but whatever. You can read the previous stories in the astroturf ^[?] ing saga.

Comments

Re:Serious matter / Something weird WOW

[Anonymous Coward]

Alan Cox - Subject: Astroturfing ( Aug 8, 2001, 20:13:51 )
So you've now publically admitted impersonating people in public and making libellous comments about me and other community members. Can you clear up one detail - why are you still working for internet.com/linuxtoday ?

Alan

Dodging the real point

[xonker]

He doesn't even mention the other points, like trying to avoid linking to competing sites.

LinuxToday used to have value because they posted *everything* and you could go there to quickly find anything going on in the Linux world. Now that's no longer the case.

Not surprisingly Internet.com has ruined them, and just about every other Linux property they touched. Reichard should be promptly fired, but instead he'll probably stay there until Internet.com folds or does away with the Linux channel. I hope this indiscretion travels with him so no one else is foolish enough to hire him.

Interestingly, the apology is under "normal news" so they don't even seem to consider it important enough to put at the top of the site.

Considering

[geomcbay]

Considering how tame most of the LinuxToday talkbacks to his apology are, I think its safe to say they plan to continue censoring posts that oppose the views of the editors...

Considering THIS post, to the LT talkback:

Thank you for the apology. Here is one reader who appreciates it and will continue to recommend Linux Today as _the_ premier news site for all things Linux.

Cheers,

Caleb

How much do you want to bet Kevin Reichard is still posting under assumed names? I mean c'mon, at least be more subtle!

Contrivance? Sure.

[TOTKChief]

Yeah, I could see "George Tirebiter" being a contrivance. It's about as blaringly screaming "ignore me, I'm a mo-ron" as "Anonymous Coward". But for someone in charge to be doing it...guh.

A few years back when I worked for TOTK.com Sports, I had a fellow staff member fake some email [or so he thought] from the current President of the United States. It sounded just a bit too much like this one guy...and when I traced it out, it was him. I "fired" [in the sense that I never let him write again] him on the spot. Though we were "new media", I wasn't going to put up with pointless bullshit. Scary to think that a college sophomore [at the time] had more balls than a "major new media company" like internet.com does at present.

Oh well, I never read LT much anyway. This just assures that I never will.

Re:Serious matter / Something weird

[Maldivian]

I agree with the orginal poster, Kevin Reichard, should be removed from Internet.com, that is the only way the respect of this community would ever return to an otherwise good site.

Also, I noticed Kevin Reichard seemed to be having some really weird friends posting under his Talkback.

A certain Mike Moore posted this under the subject of "Excellent",

It takes a lot to admit this. I still dont believe astroturfing is anything to ruffle your feathers about, we all do it dont we? But I salute Kevin Reichard for taking this stance and explaining matters. This shows the maturity of Linux Today and the opensource nature of all their undertakings. Cheers

A couple of posts below that, Eric Kiersky writes with subject "Kevin shouldnt apologize",

I dont believe Kevin should have been preassured into apologizing about this. As I understand this pressure came from an individual who was fired from LinuxToday. I felt that individual's articles were more revenge based than anything to expose ethics on astroturfing. Kevin is an excellent individual and his work on Linux Today is second to non. I hope everyone takes a deep breath and just think before posting anymore slashdot induced flames on Mr. Kevin Reichard

At first look this all seem to be optimistic well wishers giving their support to Richard. But if you ever visted the Borg, you might wonder why those names seem so familiar.

Well, it just so happens that Kevin has some very good friends working backstage at one of the best authorites on Austroturfing.

With friends like that who needs enemies? Now, I wonder how far deep the fangs of corporate monopoly sinks in our community....