After Wikipedia editors filibustered the Crash Override Network Wikipedia article for two months they finally decided to allow a mention of the CON chat leaks to be mentioned on the page. The entry does not detail what the leaks were actually about or contextual why the leaks became news at all. Instead the entry paraphrases a brief passing mention of the leaks by YouTuber David Pakman.
The entry on Wikipedia briefly mentions the leaks, stating…
“In September 2016, David Pakman discussed a series of leaked Skype chat logs and Trello page documents that appeared to show future members of Crash Override Network assembling dossiers on various individuals related to the Gamergate controversy, including himself; Pakman characterized the activity as “opposition research”.”
Except, it wasn’t just “opposition research”, they were dossiers that they could use in order to either pull funding from certain people, such as the former administrator of 8chan, or cost people their jobs, such as one of the owners of a board used for doxing. The brief mention completely skips over why the Skype and Trello leaks were significant.
In addition to what was mentioned above, the leaks also showed that some Crash Override Network members partook in targeted harassment and doxing, as well as showing that co-founder Zoe Quinn purposefully set out to sabotage the Polaris Game Jam.
The chat leaks also revealed that Crash Override Network had people at Wikipedia that they could contact to get articles changed at their behest, compromising the credibility of Wikipedia editors who work on any articles related to or associated with Zoe Quinn, #GamerGate and Crash Override Network.
Some users still tried to argue about the authenticity of the leaks, with Wikipedia editor and anti-#GamerGate activist PeterTheFourth, writing…
“I’m very wary of people asserting that because something has not been disagreed with, it is true (especially in regards ‘somebodys opinion’). However, with thanks to the advice from MjolnirPants, I realise that arguing this specific point is fairly futile.”
Peter ignores that four of the members of the Skype chats and Trello group have already verified the authenticity of the Crash Override Network leaks.
Previously, more neutral Wikipedia editors wanted to include mention about the doxing, abuse, harassment and sabotage that some of the members carried out within Crash Override Network, but a male feminist and Wikipedia editor named MjolnirPants argued vehemently against including anything from the chat leaks about what the members discussed or actually carried out, including doxing and attempting to get people who joined #GamerGate Facebook groups blacklisted from employment.
Before MjolnirPants became involved, the Wikipedia article concisely pointed out what occurred in the chat logs, stating…
“An August 2016 leak of the group’s internal chat logs suggested some members participated in doxing and harassment of Gamergate supporters.[13] Ian Miles Cheong says he was a member of the chat group and that the logs are genuine.[14]”
None of the media who covered or promoted Crash Override Network have made any mention about the leaks, and some social media services such as IMZY have attempted to suppress the chat leaks, calling the leaks “harassment”.
Polygon, IGN, Vice, Polygon and other major media outlets were all sent the media dossier with the Crash Override Network chat log leaks attached, but they all chose not to run stories about the supposed anti-abuse organization participating in abuse, doxing and sabotage.
(Main image courtesy of Atelierv)
