Wikipedia used to slam Brazilian journalists

Sao Paulo, Aug 9 (IANS/EFE) An individual with access to the internet server in Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's office altered the profiles of two journalists on Wikipedia, O Globo newspaper has said.

According to the newspaper, IP 200.181.15.10, an internet identity linked to Planalto Palace, was used in May last year to negatively modify the profiles of journalists Miriam Leitao and Carlos Alberto Sardenberg.

The first alteration was done May 10 to the profile of Leitao, an economics writer, describing her analysis as "disastrous", the newspaper reported Friday.

Three days later, another alteration falsely connected Leitao with banker Daniel Dantas.

A further change performed in May using the same IP said Sardenberg was a critic of the policies of Rousseff and of her predecessor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and accused the journalist of carrying water for special interests.

Both Leitao and Sardenberg were disturbed by what had happened and refuted the accusations.

Planalto Palace told the newspaper that "the internet protocol number (IP) cited by the report is part of the general address of the wireless server of the presidential palace".

"That means that anyone who used that mobile internet server would have as his or her address that general IP number -- which is why it is impossible to determine with any certainty the identity of the person who altered those texts," the president's office said.

--IANS/EFE

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