But suppose I was DSK and I wanted to keep Wikipedia sweet about me and I'm too busy right now dealing with issues in my personal life to get involved with all that tedious hassle of POV warring and so on that goes on at Wikipedia. What could I do about it?

I mean are there people out there I could go to take care of all that for me?

Just curious (no really I'm not).

I personally would hire Freud Communications, headquartered in London, whose director is the talented Kate Garvey. It would be expensive, but DSK has the money and social currency to pull it off.

I think this PR firm would be able to approach certain high-level WMF members discreetly.

Of course. And if you haven't heard about them having been "caught socking," that means they must know what they're doing, right?


Also, welcome to WR, Mr. Mac (or would you prefer to be "Mr. Fighting"?) I fixed the thread title - but if you want, we could change it to something more germane to the actual subject, which apparently is not Mr. Strauss-Kahn himself. Something like Sock armies for hire...? might work, for example.

[quote name='Somey' date='Tue 12th July 2011, 8:37am' post='280001']
[quote name='FightingMac' post='279997' date='Mon 11th July 2011, 10:37pm']I mean are there people out there I could go to take care of all that for me?[/quote]
Of course. And if you haven't heard about them having been "caught socking," that means they must know what they're doing, right?

Hi Somey and Zoloft above. Thanks for the replies and thanks Somey for the title fix. That was embarrassing but I could do nothing about it. Call me Mac is fine.

I asked in all seriousness because I've noticed some POV advocacy in a page absolutely naming no names which struck me as something a little more sophisticated than mere sock-puppetry, possibly something organised for serious money with very careful profiling from experts to make it look like dickhead socking ... but perhaps I'm just being paranoid.

Interesting forum here. I shall do some happy browsing next few days.

Thanks again.

Mac.

Reputation.com informed me that if your primary concern is Wikipedia, they will only start a project with you if you come up with a $20,000 non-refundable retainer fee. There are no guarantees that you'll be satisfied with their results.

I happen to operate a small Wikipedia-manipulation service, which I've recently expanded to include a team of several affiliate editors in different locations, all operating under a signed non-disclosure agreement.

However, I'll be the first to admit that Dominique Strauss-Kahn would be my most challenging client to date. (Though, I did once do a bang-up job for a marketing firm representing one of the three largest pharmaceutical companies, who wanted a Wikipedia article about one of their biggest new products.)

You may be interested in this thread. It has a case not unlike what you seem to be describing (plus a bonus T. Rex video).

Hi Carbuncle,

Thanks for this, that's just the sort of thing I had in mind.

Mac

5W Public Relations will also do this sort of thing . Talk to Demiurge1000 for the full story on it. I imagine any PR firm would gladly accept a check for WP editing.

Alternatively you can just be a British peer in which case Jimbo will personally patrol your article.

Really! Wow, and non-refundable too... Maybe I should have started that Multiple Online Personality Management company after all, if that's the kind of money people are asking. Greg, I hope you're at least making a reasonable profit...

I mean, I can see why they'd want to cover themselves up-front like that, and it would probably be pretty bad for them if they were "caught," though I guess that depends on who the client is... My guess is they don't want to deal with anyone "notable" enough to be in Wikipedia in the first place. It's probably a huge time-sink for them, even if the client agrees to hand over the up-front money.

(I'm saying all this under the assumption that Reputation.com is a legitimate operation in the first place, of course - and I have every reason to believe that they are, mind you.)

You didn't hear it here, but go ahead and do a Google search for "Michael Fertik" and "Jimmy Wales".

Brought up some interesting stuff indeed, thekohser. Thanks, appreciated.

If I was you I'd create a gang to sock, troll and edit war.