Portland Communications, the public relations firm founded by Keir Starmer's communications chief Tim Allan, has been accused of commissioning covert edits to Wikipedia pages to benefit clients, according to an investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ). The practice, known as 'black hat' editing or 'Wikilaundering', involves undisclosed paid advocacy and violates Wikipedia's terms of use.
The TBIJ claims that between 2016 and 2024, Portland outsourced Wikipedia editing to a contractor, Web3 Consulting, run by Radek Kotlarek. A network of 26 accounts allegedly made changes to pages for high-profile clients, including the state of Qatar, to improve their image. Edits reportedly included burying critical reporting before the 2022 World Cup and removing references to a failed philanthropy project.
Portland denied any current relationship with Web3 Consulting, stating it adheres strictly to social media guidelines. A spokesperson said: 'Portland does not have a relationship with the firm mentioned and has a policy of strict adherence to the guidelines on all social media platforms.' A current employee added that anyone who did this in the past was foolish, and no one does it today.
Former employees told TBIJ that Wikipedia edits were a common request, with one saying: 'No one said: “We should stop doing this”. The question was how we could keep doing it without getting caught.' Portland has a history of Wikipedia editing; in 2012, it made changes for a beer client, which it said were done openly and within rules.
The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), to which Portland is not signed up, condemns such 'dark arts' as breaches of professional conduct. Wikipedia volunteer editors have blocked all active accounts in the alleged network.
