Daimler accused of tinkering with Wikipedia page

A new year, a new scandal.

Following Volkswagen's alleged meddling with German carbon dioxide graphs, Daimler has come under heavy fire for reportedly tinkering with information.

According to a daily German newspaper, Der Spiegel, a Wikipedia user named Inkowik removed an entire subsection on Daimler’s German Wikipedia page that dealt with the firm's lobbying actions.

Photo credit: CarAdvice

Although it seems pretty inconspicuous, the user’s IP address was 141.113.85.93, an address that is related with Daimler AG’s HQ in Germany. The deleted content noted that Daimler, BMW, and Porsche had been granted the “Worst EU Lobbying Award” in 2007 for their associated efforts to alter and delay upcoming CO2 regulations.

Daimler spokesman, Florian Martens responded to the allegations after they were publicised. He said that the edit was absolutely not made on the behalf of the carmaker, and that it was “obviously” the work of an independent and private party. Furthermore, he pointed out that the same user with the same IP address had also altered an article about Victoria, the Crown Princess of Sweden, as well as another article about muesli.

For many in Germany, Daimler’s statement was inadequate.

“Daimler should be investigated, and we will work to ensure that such actions do not happen again in the future,” said said Ulrich Müller, the executive director of a German association called LobbyControl - the same organisation that presented the “Worst EU Lobbying Award” upon the aforementioned German companies in 2007.