This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6961575.stm

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Howard row over Wikipedia edits Howard row over Wikipedia edits
(about 2 hours later)
Staff in the Australian prime minister's department have been accused of editing potentially damaging entries in online encyclopaedia Wikipedia.Staff in the Australian prime minister's department have been accused of editing potentially damaging entries in online encyclopaedia Wikipedia.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, workers made 126 edits on subjects which included government immigration policy and Treasurer Peter Costello. Workers made 126 edits on subjects such as immigration policy and Treasurer Peter Costello, a local daily said.
The details came from a new website which can track those who make edits. The details came from a new website that tracks those who make edits. Staff from the CIA and the BBC among others have also made changes, it has shown.
Wikipedia Scanner has shown that staff at the CIA, the Vatican and the BBC among others have also made changes. A spokesman for PM John Howard said he had not asked staff to edit Wikipedia.
Wikipedia is an internet-based free encyclopaedia that anyone can add to or make changes to.Wikipedia is an internet-based free encyclopaedia that anyone can add to or make changes to.
Defence DepartmentDefence Department
According to the daily, a worker in Mr Howard's department added the word "allegedly" to the assertion that immigration detainees were subject to inhumane conditions. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, a worker in Mr Howard's department added the word "allegedly" to the assertion that immigration detainees were subject to inhumane conditions.
Changes were also made to the online profile of Peter Costello, Mr Howard's deputy and treasurer. A derogatory nickname - Captain Smirk - was removed.Changes were also made to the online profile of Peter Costello, Mr Howard's deputy and treasurer. A derogatory nickname - Captain Smirk - was removed.
A link was also added to a section on the children overboard affair of 2001.A link was also added to a section on the children overboard affair of 2001.
The government had claimed that a group of asylum seekers had thrown their children into the sea to ensure they were rescued by the Australian navy - something later disproved by a Senate inquiry.The government had claimed that a group of asylum seekers had thrown their children into the sea to ensure they were rescued by the Australian navy - something later disproved by a Senate inquiry.
An employee added a link highlighting a Senate report which criticised a former government adviser who had claimed that Mr Howard misled the Australian public over the affair.An employee added a link highlighting a Senate report which criticised a former government adviser who had claimed that Mr Howard misled the Australian public over the affair.
A spokesman for Prime Minister John Howard said he had not asked staff to edit Wikipedia entries. The new website, Wikipedia Scanner, also identified computers at Australia's Defence Department as being behind more than 5,000 changes to the site, the daily said.
Wikipedia Scanner, also identified computers at Australia's Defence Department as being behind more than 5,000 changes to the site, the daily said.
Although many of the edits were factual or unrelated to the government, the department said on Friday that it had acted to block staff from editing the site.Although many of the edits were factual or unrelated to the government, the department said on Friday that it had acted to block staff from editing the site.
"Defence has closed personal edit access down, though employees will still be able to browse Wikipedia for information purposes," a spokesman said."Defence has closed personal edit access down, though employees will still be able to browse Wikipedia for information purposes," a spokesman said.
Australia's opposition Labor leader Kevin Rudd said it was legitimate for staff to make changes of a factual nature, but that it was wrong for public servants to re-edit history.Australia's opposition Labor leader Kevin Rudd said it was legitimate for staff to make changes of a factual nature, but that it was wrong for public servants to re-edit history.
Wikipedia Scanner cannot pinpoint individual editors, but it can identify the organisation whose computer network was used to make the change.