PR firms urged not to edit Wikipedia

The professional body for public relations firms has called for its members to stop directly editing the Wikipedia pages of clients.

The new guidance from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) follows the revelation last December in The Independent that the lobbying company Bell Pottinger had made hundreds of alterations to entries for its clients on the online encyclopaedia, including removing a reference to a university drugs conviction for a businessman.

Under revised rules, contained in an 18-page document published by the CIPR, public relations firms will be expected to seek amendments through Wikipedia's editors and make clear that they are representing an individual or business.