Bonum Certa Men Certa

The Sad State of German Anti-Corruption Authorities and Investigative Journalism, as Demonstrated by the EPO

The EPO in Munich enjoys apathy and toothlessness that prevails in media and watchdogs around it

Reichstag



Summary: A personal view on why the EPO manages to get away with so many abuses while the media and watchdogs like Transparency International (TI) play along by doing nothing at all about it

THE EPO is very difficult to trust nowadays because the management routinely lies and the liars are sometimes former staff of the growingly-defunct Transparency International (TI), which was supposed to combat corruption but is increasingly participating in it (or helping to cover it up).



One reader told us, "referring to your article [the above] there's another interference with TI by the person of Hedda van Wedel. The wikipedia article about CORRECTIV names her as member of the supervisory board. If you follow the link to the German wiki about Hedda [see Hedda_von_Wedel] it is noted that she was elected vice president of TI Germany in 2007..."

One has to wonder then who is left to expose the abuses at the EPO, as the government of Germany seems entirely disinterested and the media does a terrible job. The EPO and EUIPO are promoting a big lie, still in pursuit of 'cheap' (no fact-checking) press coverage (sometimes they get it), yet almost nobody in the German media speaks about the latest scandals. There was a long discussion about who's a good journalist to contact about this and one person wrote:

for investigative journalism one golden rule : follow the money.

EPO has plenty (2.000.000.000 EUR / year budget and ZERO decent check-and-balances comparable to what can be found at UNO or EU)

They are currently building expensive in NL aren't they ;o)

Be seeing you


Remember that the EPO effectively bribes/attacks media. It's basically operating in a very corrupt and aggressive manner (like shipping/dishing libel through journalists while threatening others with libel lawsuits) and today someone posted this good point about why EPO scandals' media coverage is so scarce. It's “giving aid and comfort to “…exiteers”,” the person said. Here is the full comment:

Indeed it is difficult, for the reasons given by Sam McClure, to interest investigative journalists. I know, I've tried and so have others to my knowledge. There is an additional barrier he did not mention: anything "European" is considered by the media in many countries, even those with a "free" press, to be a sacred cow that cannot be criticized for fear of giving aid and comfort to "..exiteers". Even if one could find a keen journalist, what mainstream media would touch this story?


Probably just about no "mainstream media" (corporate media), which is why many people still rely on Techrights for information and our Wiki page about the EPO is approaching half a million page views.

Recent Techrights' Posts

'Stochastic Parrots' is a Good Description of a Passing Fad
We did several series explaining what they are and why they won't (or can't) work as advertised
An Important Goal Has Been Accomplished Already
Stubborn activists need to insist on a future where computer users actually control the computers they own
GNU/Linux up to 5% in Ireland, Not Counting Chromebooks
statCounter is an Irish
The War on Free Software Reporters - Part III - Doxing and LARPing
LARPing is an issue I've had to deal with for nearly 20 years
 
[Meme] Daniel Pocock Against GAFAM Interference in Irish Politics (for Tax Evasion and More)
Ireland rugby: Out of my way, I'm richer than you are
They're Trying to Kill the Internet Archive (and Wayback Machine). The Internet Archive Needs Your Help.
donate to the Internet Archive
A Record Week and Another Historic Day Next Monday
7 days from now the sister site turns 20
What GAFAM-Funded Organisations Tell You About Mr. Pocock is Untrue
Pocock, like Julian Assange, isn't the bad guy here. But some powerful people want you to think that he is.
Mr Pocock for Midlands-North-West (Ireland)
Mr Pocock has been vilified by those whom he exposed
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Sunday, June 02, 2024
IRC logs for Sunday, June 02, 2024
Egypt: GNU/Linux Exceeds 6%, Windows Down to All-Time Low of 5%
Not counting ChromeOS
Gemini Links 03/06/2024: Maturity and Tenstorrent
Links for the day
In the Month of May 2024 the OSI's Blog Was Almost 100% Microsoft Lobbying, Microsoft Staff, Microsoft Proprietary Software, and Microsoft Events
Entryism complete. RIP, OSI.
Gemini Links 02/06/2024: Delayed Disappointment
Links for the day
statCounter: GNU/Linux on More Than 1 in 5 Desktops/Laptops
Desktop Operating System Market Share Norway
Reminder: The First CEO of IBM (Owner of Red Hat) Was "Convicted on Extortion" (According to Edwin Black, Author of "IBM and the Holocaust")
Red Hat is not a liberal company
GNU/Linux Market Share in Turkey Now Exceeds 10%, According to StatCounter
StatCounter (or statCounter) shows considerable increases
GNU/Linux in Germany: The Seven Percent
The historical data shows that it wasn't always like this
Slovenia: Windows Becomes Minority Market Share This Month
It finally happened. Android is now measured as bigger than Windows.
statCounter: Bing Has Lost Market Share Since the Chatbot Hype, in Europe Yandex Nearly Exceeds Bing Now
Bing also had many layoffs (not that the media bothered covering that); we must debunk Microsoft's baseless claims and deliberate lies/hype
Microsoft Windows Falls Below 10% in Africa, Down to About 20% in Asia
The future isn't Windows
Taiwan Can Defend Its Autonomy Better by Avoiding Microsoft (Back Doors)
Maybe it's just a coincidence that GNU/Linux "took off" when Hong Kong lost its perceived independence from China
The War on Free Software Reporters - Part IV - Impersonation and Menacing Behaviour, Defamation Under One's Own Name
Such serial defamation (that went on for a very long time) is coordinated and relentless
Links 02/06/2024: Workers' Strikes and a Warming World
Links for the day
Microsoft Falls to All-Time Low of 25% in Operating Systems
If Android is counted, Windows is in trouble as it's down to all-time low of 25%
Steam Survey: GNU/Linux Up, But Canonical's Ubuntu Declining
big increases for GNU/Linux, Arch Linux gaining at Ubuntu's expense
Guardian Digital, Inc (linuxsecurity.com) Leveraging Microsoft Chatbots to SPAM for Microsoft (Googlebombing "Linux")?
Welcome to the Web in 2024. Search for "Linux" news, get Windows garbage.
Smallest Number of New Debian Developers in More Than 2 Years
Maybe Debian should recognise there's a problem instead of trying to censor - at humongous expense - those who speak about the problem
Slashdot's "Linux" Section is Reposting Press Releases for Red Hat
Is this being paid for?
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, June 01, 2024
IRC logs for Saturday, June 01, 2024
Links 01/06/2024: Microsoft Chaffbot Broken Out of Control
Links for the day
The Media Finally Admits (on a Regular Basis) That LLMs Suck
They could not replace medical doctors, teachers, lawyers etc.
Why We're Taking Things Up a Notch
Expect about 20 articles a day this year
Sites That Cover WSL Are Helping Microsoft's Attack on GNU/Linux
Calling out the typical culprits
Plans for June
We'll try to publish Daily Links every time we have enough of these
Links 01/06/2024: Ukraine Updates, MongoDB Collapses
Links for the day
Gemini Links 01/06/2024: MNT Pocket Reform, Gemini and Content Length
Links for the day
Links 01/06/2024: WeblogPoMo2024, Pentagon’s Increasing Reliance on (i.e. Bailouts to) Microsoft
Links for the day
Twitter is (in Many Ways) Already Dead
Put an 'X' on it
Posts About Free Software, BSD, and GNU/Linux
Focus shifts have occasionally been discussed here over the years
After Softpedia Pushed Out Its Linux News Editor - and Effectively Killed the Linux Section - it Killed the Whole News Section (Altogether)
So they've killed Linux coverage, then their whole "news" section died
Their Goal is Control, Not Security (and Their Staff Advocates Fake Security or Pricey Gimmicks That Disempower the Users)
Those companies just want control, or simply domination over users (and their computers)
[Meme] The Lowest Standards of Security
No need for any qualifications
IRC Proceedings: Friday, May 31, 2024
IRC logs for Friday, May 31, 2024
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
Cybersecurity is a structural not behavioural problem.
Reprinted with permission from Cyber|Show
Free Software is the Future, Open Source is Just Openwashing (Proprietary With a False Marketing Twist)
Also see postopen.org
Society Has Been Destabilised by Social Control Networks
Is it time to get rid of them, if not by sanctions/bans then simply by popular boycotts?
Gemini Turns 5 This Month
As long as Geminispace exists and is accessed by enough people, Gemini Protocol will continue to matter
Links 01/06/2024: More Crackdowns in Hong Kong, Street Named After Navalny
Links for the day