Human Rights

PR Adviser Praises Maldives Prisons

by Bob Burton — September 12, 2007 - 5:55am

Nic Careem, a London-based "public affairs consultant", recently proclaimed his interest in helping raise the profile of the President of the Maldives, Abdul Gayoom, on the issue of global warming.

Main Source: 
Minivan News (news on the Maldives), September 11, 2007

Flacks Get a Chill Up the Spine

by Sheldon Rampton — September 5, 2007 - 2:20pm

James L. Horton of the Robert Marston & Associates PR firm is worried about Wikileaks, a new website that provides a means for people to share information about unethical behavior by governments and corporations. Wikileaks says it "is developing an uncensorable Wikipedia for untraceable mass document leaking and participatory analysis.

Main Source: 
Online Public Relations Thoughts, September 5, 2007

We Know What You Did Online Last Summer

by Diane Farsetta — August 31, 2007 - 6:38pm
  • Topics: Citizen Journalism, Crisis Management, Internet, Issue Management, Human Rights, Secrecy

    • Self-described "disruptive technologist" Virgil Griffith lists as his top aim in developing WikiScanner: "To create a fireworks display of public relations disasters in which everyone brings their own fireworks, and enjoys."

    Here at the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD), we see WikiScanner as a great way to better understand how public relations firms and other "perception managers" are subverting online discussions and social media. And what better website to track this on than Wikipedia, the world's most popular wiki, or collaboratively edited website?

    Was Wikipedia Spinning Part of H&K's Maldives Work?

    by Diane Farsetta — August 31, 2007 - 2:03pm

    The Center for Media and Democracy has previously reported on the PR firm Hill & Knowlton's work for the oppressive regime of the president of the Maldives, Maumoon Gayoom.

    Main Source: 
    Wikipedia / WikipediaScanner

    Whistleblowers Treated Like Terrorists

    by Sheldon Rampton — August 27, 2007 - 9:53pm

    "One after another, the men and women who have stepped forward to report corruption in the massive effort to rebuild Iraq have been vilified, fired and demoted. Or worse," reports Deborah Hastings.

    Main Source: 
    Associated Press, August 26, 2007

    Rendition Lawsuit Against Boeing Subsidiary Grows

    by Bob Burton — August 14, 2007 - 5:06am

    A lawsuit against airservices company Jeppesen Dataplan, Inc., has been re-filed to include two more victims of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency's extraordinary rendition program. In December 2002, Bisher al-Rawi was kidnapped from Gambia and flown to a secret U.S. prison in Afghanistan and then the Bagram airbase.

    Main Source: 
    Chicago Tribune, August 2, 2007

    University Defends Using Hill & Knowlton

    by Bob Burton — August 9, 2007 - 5:06am

    The human rights group Friends of Maldives protests H&K

    A local branch of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) representing University of California (UC) employees is protesting against UC management's hiring Hill & Knowlton to spin its labor reco

    Main Source: 
    PR Week, August 7, 2007

    Starbucks' CSR Not Worth a Hill of Beans

    by Diane Farsetta — August 6, 2007 - 3:14pm

    On August 6, "when opening statements are set to begin in the trial over Starbucks' anti-union operation, in some ways corporate social responsibility itself will be on trial," writes Daniel Gross.

    Main Source: 
    CounterPunch, August 4 / 5, 2007

    Prisoner 345

    by Sheldon Rampton — July 25, 2007 - 4:51pm

    "For the past five years," Sami al-Haj, a cameraman for Al Jazeera, "has been the only journalist known to be held in Guantánamo Bay," reports Rachel Morris. Al-Haj was originally detained in December 2001 while trying to cross the border into Afghanistan with a team of other journalists. After examining his case, Morris can find little evidence to justify his detention.

    Main Source: 
    Columbia Journalism Review, July/August 2007

    Melanie Morgan Still Wants to Kill

    by Sheldon Rampton — July 25, 2007 - 10:36am
    Main Source: 
    Media Matters for America, July 20, 2007
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