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French Intelligence Agency Forces Removal of Wikipedia Entry

Posted by timothy on from the do-not-look-there dept.

saibot834 writes "The French domestic intelligence agency DCRI has forced a Wikipedia administrator to delete an article about a local military base. The administrator, who is also the president of Wikimédia France, has been threatened by the agency with immediate reprisals after his initial refusal to comply. Following a discussion on the administrator's noticeboard, the article (which is said to violate a law on the secrecy of the national defense) has been reinstated by a foreign user. Prior to pressuring the admin, DCRI contacted the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF), which refused to remove the article. WMF claimed the article only contained publicly available information, in accordance with Wikipedia's verifiability policy. While the consequences for Wikimedia's community remain unclear, one thing is certain: The military base article – now available in English – will get more public awareness than ever before."

8 of 179 comments (clear)

  1. Le effect Streissand. by serviscope_minor · · Score: 5, Funny

    I wonder what that French agency which likes to create French words instead of using ones derived from other languages will coin to name the Streissand effect.

    --
    SJW n. One who posts facts.
    1. Re:Le effect Streissand. by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 4, Funny

      If they can't spell "London" correctly, why would they bother with "Streisand"?

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    2. Re:Le effect Streissand. by JakeBurn · · Score: 5, Funny

      Ah, valid criticisms. Those I like. Such as pointing out that only the worst type of loser chooses to check the box 'Post Anonymously'. If you have an opinion, speak it. Being afraid of judgment from people you have never or will never meet shows an extreme lack of self esteem. Type out your opinions like an ADULT and be done with it.

      "smart-assed immature punks' are the people who honestly think anyone gives a damn about spelling mistakes on the internet. Should I berate you endlessly for not putting a comma between miserable and worthless as you should have? It would be a waste of both our times and we both know it. Adult only references a person's age, not their ability to not act like a know-it-all piece of shit who feels that everyone should be grateful at being corrected on a matter they care nothing about. Save us the shame of knowing about your neurotic tendencies and keep them to yourself.

  2. Too easy... by rmdingler · · Score: 4, Funny

    You can certainly understand the collective French nervousness regarding military secrets. Look what happened when that Maginot thing got out.

    --
    Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

    Ernest Hemingway

    1. Re:Too easy... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Reminds me of the old joke..

      Q: How many Frenchmen does it take to defend Paris?
      A: Unknown, it has never been tried.

  3. Re:Military intelligence by roman_mir · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think someone in the French military got their panties in a wad about nothing...

    - careful, it's France. You don't insult the panties that the French military is brandishing without suffering a severe ... retreat.

    --
    You can't handle the truth.
  4. ALL YOUR BASE by dutchwhizzman · · Score: 4, Funny

    ARE BELONG TO US!

    --
    I was promised a flying car. Where is my flying car?
  5. Re:The French article had ZERO hits ... until now by zAPPzAPP · · Score: 4, Funny

    Which means, no one else knew about it!
    Finally Slashdot is delivering real news!