Your Tax Dollars at Work: FBI Battles Wikipedia over Logo

August 3, 2010 -

The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has contacted Wikipedia over the use of an FBI logo on a page dedicated to the history of the crime-fighting organization.

The FBI claimed that the logo accompanying an entry in the online encyclopedia was an “unauthorized reproduction of the FBI Seal” and “prohibited by law,” according to the BBC. The FBI’s letter stated that “Whoever possesses any insignia...or any colourable imitation thereof..shall be fined...or imprisoned... or both.”

Apparently offering the logo in four different sizes also posed a crisis, as the FBI stated that this was, “particularly problematic, because it facilitates both deliberate and unwitting violations of restrictions by Wikipedia users."

Wikipedia lawyer Mike Godwin fired back at the FBI, saying there was a difference between the words “problematic” and “unlawful.” Godwin indicated that Wikipedia would deny the FBI's demand to remove the seal, adding, “The seal is in no way evidence of any 'intent to deceive', nor is it an 'assertion of authority', recognisable or otherwise.”

We thought perhaps the FBI had turned their attentions to this important matter in light of catching every criminal on the loose, but a quick check shows that the FBI Ten Most Wanted list is still populated with active fugitives.

Via SlashDot

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Comments

Re: Your Tax Dollars at Work: FBI Battles Wikipedia over ...

Submitted by Thomas McKenna on Tue, 08/03/2010 - 16:42.

I tried my hardest to not make a bad pun tying in the words 'Godwin' and 'law.'

*cough*hitler*cough

Re: Your Tax Dollars at Work: FBI Battles Wikipedia over ...

Submitted by GamesLaw on Wed, 08/04/2010 - 13:35.

Not sure if you realize, but Mike Godwin from the WMF is the namesake of Godwin's Law.

-- Dan Rosenthal

Re: Your Tax Dollars at Work: FBI Battles Wikipedia over ...

Submitted by PeterWDAwson on Tue, 08/03/2010 - 13:03.

Didn't the FBI seal show up in opening bits for several old arcade games talking about winners not using drugs? I'm seriously not fully getting what the FBI is trying to do here. It literally seems to me like they just now decided to be dicks.

Re: Your Tax Dollars at Work: FBI Battles Wikipedia over ...

Submitted by lomdr on Tue, 08/03/2010 - 13:37.

I think those were licensed because the director of the FBI wanted to get an anti-drug message out to the "impressionable youth" in the late 80's-the end of the 90's.

Re: Your Tax Dollars at Work: FBI Battles Wikipedia over ...

Submitted by Cheater87 on Tue, 08/03/2010 - 12:46.

Looks like this argument already got "Godwin'd" XD

Re: Your Tax Dollars at Work: FBI Battles Wikipedia over ...

Submitted by Andrew Eisen on Tue, 08/03/2010 - 12:32.

"We are compelled as a matter of law and principle to deny your demand for removal of the FBI Seal from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons," said Mr Godwin adding that the firm was "prepared to argue our view in court."

Good on you, Godwin.

Andrew Eisen

Re: Your Tax Dollars at Work: FBI Battles Wikipedia over ...

Submitted by tetracycloide on Tue, 08/03/2010 - 13:34.

Damn straight.

my vanity is justified

Shout box

Michael Chandra: If your employee respectfully disagrees with your advice, that's not a fireable offense. If they ignore your order, THEN you have the right to be pissed.10/20/2014 - 6:49am

Michael Chandra: I... Don't get one thing. If you do not want your employee to do X, why do you tell them it's advice or a wish? Give them a damn order.10/20/2014 - 6:48am

james_fudge: A leak that had me worried about being swatted by Lizard Squad.10/20/2014 - 6:03am

james_fudge: It should be noted that the author leaked the GJP group names online10/20/2014 - 6:03am

MechaTama31: I mean, of the groups being bullied here, which of the two would you refer to collectively as "nerds"?10/19/2014 - 11:30pm

MechaTama31: But that's the thing, it doesn't sound to me like he is advocating bullying, it sounds like he is accusing the SJWs of bullying the "nerds", who I can only assume refers to the GGers.10/19/2014 - 11:21pm

Andrew Eisen: Interesting read. Unfortunately, too vague to form an opinion on but at least now I know what faefrost was talking about in James' editorial.10/19/2014 - 10:39pm

Neo_DrKefka: Breaking GameJournoPros organized a blacklist of former Destructoid writer Allistar Pinsof for investigating fraud in IndieGoGo campaign http://blogjob.com/oneangrygamer/2014/10/gamergate-destructoid-corruption-and-ruined-careers/10/19/2014 - 8:57pm

Neo_DrKefka: Only good thing I seen come out of the Biddle incident was the fact a professional fighter offered to give 10k to an anti bullying charity for a round in the ring with Biddle.10/19/2014 - 7:49pm

Neo_DrKefka: Even after all the interviews she is still on twitter making fun of people with disabilities (Autism) yet she is a part of the crowd that is on the so called right side of history...10/19/2014 - 7:48pm

Neo_DrKefka: Which #GameGate supports are constantly being harassed and bullied. Brianna Wu who I told everyone she was trolling GamerGate weeks ago with her passive aggressive threats was looking for that crazy person in the crowd.10/19/2014 - 7:47pm

Neo_DrKefka: I believe the problem #GamerGate has with Sam Biddle is he is apart of this blogging group that in a way hates or detests its readers. Also being apart of the crowd that claims its on the right side of history isn't helping when he is advocating bullying10/19/2014 - 7:45pm

MechaTama31: Of course, I'm looking at these tweets in isolation, I don't know a thing about the guy.10/19/2014 - 7:06pm

MechaTama31: If anything, the sarcastic implication seems to be that the SJW crowd is bringing back the bullying of nerds. But it's the GGers who are out for his blood? I'm lost...10/19/2014 - 7:01pm

MechaTama31: I don't really get this Sam Biddle thing. The reaction to his tweets seems to be taking them at face value, but... they're tongue in cheek. Right?10/19/2014 - 7:00pm

Andrew Eisen: I have it. The problem, so far as I can tell, is neither of them allow me to overlay my webcam feed or text links to my Extra-Life fundraising page.10/19/2014 - 4:08pm

quiknkold: and yes, its free10/19/2014 - 4:05pm

quiknkold: should grab Hauppauge capture. has mic support and can upload directly to youtube10/19/2014 - 4:05pm

Andrew Eisen: The former.10/19/2014 - 4:00pm

quiknkold: was it StreamEez, or the StreamEez feature in Hauppauge Capture? cause I know Capture has alot more support from the devs.10/19/2014 - 3:54pm

All shouts

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