Bonum Certa Men Certa

A Look at the Latest Gross Deletionism at the EPO's 'Media Partner', French Newspaper Les Échos

A followup article about censorship at Les Échos, complete with new information about its latest censorship and its odious EPO ties

The article on Thursday (with the following text)
PSA censored part



The article soon thereafter (after all the above got silently deleted)
PSA after censorship



Summary: The EPO's bogus 'journal of record, which Team Battistelli likes to cite in order to bolster its warped version of events at the EPO while maintaining a close secret relationship with the publisher, keeps censoring its own reporters (spiked paragraphs, silently self-censored or censored after publications)

TECHRIGHTS was never a big fan of corporate media, even well before the EPO scandals. Ever since the Novell days we have seen systematic abuse in such media, which seems to care more about what brings income (e.g. advertisements) than what informs readers. History is being rewritten (revisionism) in the interests of various sponsors or potential sponsors.

"This really necessitated further investigation and we decided to do a followup story in order to show just how much of a farce Les Échos can be."Les Échos was mentioned here a few days ago after it had censored itself once again (it previously censored paragraphs critical of the EPO). Not many people know this, not even those who watch the EPO closely. This really necessitated further investigation and we decided to do a followup story in order to show just how much of a farce Les Échos can be. We patiently waited for more information before that; we got several messages about that and found some feedback on the Web rather helpful.

In the excerpt below we highlight added text and deleted text. We are still waiting for a translation of the part about the EPO.

Accueil > Dossiers thema > Transformation : mettre de l'agilité dans son organisation

Transformation : les €«ennemis€» de l’intérieur

Julie Le Bolzer | Le 19/11 à 11:39

Collaborateurs, syndicats et même patrons sont parfois si réfractaires au changement que le processus de transformation de l’entreprise s’en trouve contrarié. Les exemples de l’Office européen des brevets (OEB), Air France et KLM et de PSA.

[...]

PSA : le directoire jugé inefficace par les actionnaires

C’est une déflagration lorsque la tête de Philippe Varin, numéro un du groupe PSA, tombe le 24 novembre 2013. Annoncée, la veille, au comité de direction générale, la décision est sans appel. Et c’est Carlos Tavares qui est nommé au directoire. Qu’est-ce qui, au juste, était reproché au dirigeant et justifiait que la famille Peugeot aille recruter chez le concurrent direct, causant un transfert inédit, à ce niveau, entre PSA et Renault ? Qu’est-ce qui a, subitement, conduit Philippe Varin vers la sortie de route alors que son mandat avait été renouvelé six mois plus tôt ? Qu’est-ce qui a précipité le lancement, par les Peugeot, du processus de recrutement de Carlos Tavares, sans prendre la peine d’en informer l’ensemble des membres du conseil de surveillance (ni même l’État, pourtant impliqué dans le dossier après avoir accordé une garantie à la filiale bancaire de PSA) ?

Ce désaveu reflète une crise de confiance entre la famille actionnaire et le directoire. Surtout, les chantiers de restructuration menés en Europe (accord de compétitivité, fermeture de l’usine d’Aulnay-sous-Bois...) n’ont pas été jugés suffisants en regard des ambitions de transformation du groupe. Depuis le départ de Philippe Varin, la transformation de PSA s’est accélérée. Baptisé €« Back in the Race €» (de retour dans la course), le plan stratégique 2014-2018, présenté par Carlos Tavares en avril 2014, entend assurer le redressement de l’entreprise. Les objectifs opérationnels ? Faire de DS, Peugeot et Citroën, des marques reconnues mondialement ; rationaliser les gammes via un plan mondial concentré ; atteindre une croissance mondiale rentable à l’international ; et se moderniser pour faire face aux enjeux de compétitivité. C’est une transformation culturelle de l’entreprise qui est visée. Une conduite du changement que n’avait visiblement pas su opérer Philippe Varin.



We don't know if Julie Le Bolzer or her editor removed it. We also don't know why. All we know is, when you read something on this 'news' paper, be sure to make a snapshot because entire chunks of articles can magically vanish without prior notice. We also know, based on experience, that criticism of the EPO is not permitted there. History is being recorded selectively, and there is a monopoly on media coverage.

Recent Techrights' Posts

Summer Plans in Tux Machines
July is nearly upon us
Saying "No" is Not a Bad Thing
Society benefits from people who say "No!" even when it seems impolite (and possibly inconvenient) to say so
Next Week's "Bloodbath" at Microsoft Includes "Silent Layoffs" (Which Microsoft Won't Count)
The notion of "silent layoffs" is fast becoming the "new normal"
 
SLAPP Censorship - Part 120 Out of 200: Garrett Undermines His Own Application Because His Friend Graveley Failed to Accomplish What They Had Both Aimed For
Hold off the "popcorn"
Don't Settle for Slop
Slop is a bit of a symptom of where society is told to go
Gemini Links 27/06/2026: Photography From Interlaken to Shynige Platte, Slop 'Code', and Distro Hopping
Links for the day
TIGER COMPUTING LTD Sent Us Threats Half a Decade Ago (Because of Criticism of Their In-House Debian Developer), Now the Company's Debt is Deepening
So what is they're connected to the military?
GNU/Linux in Mexico Near All-Time High
With all the tourists packing the place (or hotels) we can imagine big changes to be seen next month (many portable devices)
Gopher (Protocol) Turns 35, Gemini is 28 Years Younger
Bad technology comes and goes very fast
Be Like Stallman and Assange, Not Like MElon or Bill Epsteingate
these people treat women like worse than dirt
Exposure Leads to More Whistleblowing
In areas like IBM or European patent affairs we've always earned a lot of trust
European Patent Office (EPO) Series Will Run Well Into July
We still have a very significant chunk of EPO "trench" stories
Links 27/06/2026: Journalists Kicked Out of China, Torture in Iran and Turkey
Links for the day
How Microsoft is Preventing or Slowing Down Adoption of GNU/Linux (Fake 'GNU' Controlled by GitHub in Windows, WSL, Sabotage at Boot Level, Not Limited to Dual-Booting)
Microsoft is still at it
Rising Computer Prices Good News for GNU/Linux and Free Software
This can greatly assist the adoption of BSDs and GNU/Linux
Links 27/06/2026: More Restrictions on Social Control Media and Russia is Leveraging Cellebrite/Back Doors
Links for the day
Akira Urushibata on the Likely False (Unverifiable) Claims Anthropic Makes About Defects for Marketing/Hype
Some pro-LLM person has managed to derail the discussion on this topic
European Patent Office (EPO) Series: "Team Campinos" in Split
The EPO team was of course headed by Campinos himself who delivered a "forward-looking" keynote speech to the assembled audience consisting mainly of Administrative Council delegates from the national IP offices
Supporting Women in the Free Software Community
The common theme here is abuse of women
Left IBM After Many Years, Came to Microsoft/XBox, Now Silent Layoffs at XBox
many inside XBox will have their last day next week
Gemini Links 27/06/2026: Homeworlds and Tarot Cards
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Friday, June 26, 2026
IRC logs for Friday, June 26, 2026
Links 26/06/2026: SoftBank Forbids Mentioning That Slop is a Scam, "'We Need Courageous People' to Combat Greed and Corruption"
Links for the day
Gemini Links 26/06/2026: "Negativity of Reddit" and "Moving Blog to Gemini"
Links for the day
Same MIT Site That Fabricated the Fake News for IBM is Still Being Paid to Produce Fake "Reports" That Prop Up a Ponzi Scheme
If this is the media we deserve as a society and believe keeps us informed, then we are all doomed
'Social' Slop: The Social Control Media and Slop Crises Are Converging
Social Control Media and slop may have a shared fate. People will shun them both.
XBox Being Discontinued, Some Models of XBox Canceled, Not on Sale Anymore
First some of the largest retailers quit stocking/selling XBox, now a 2TB model is axed
Union Syndicale Fédérale (USF) Speaks Out Against Campinos and Informs the Chairman of the EPO Administrative Council
Does Mr. Kratochvíl pay any attention at all?
'António the Pretender' Campinos is Digging His Own Grave With Grotesque Lobbying Intended to Undermine Democracy in Europe's Second-Largest Institution
One way or another, the EPO will never be the same again
The Principle of "Do No Harm"
"Do No Harm" is a common saying
After Years of Bluewashing People Who Are Still Labelled "Red Hat" Suddenly 'Leave' (Might be PIPs), IBM in "Forever Layoffs" Loop
Remember that Red Hat had mass layoffs this year
Microsoft Staff Bracing for Impact Ahead of "Layoffs Lottery"
some people start to assess who will get culled next
Donald Trump and IBM's CEO: Twins Separated at Birth, Saturating the Media With False Reports About Things That Don't Exist
Every "journalist" that went ahead with this fake news should be sacked on the spot for a rejection of fact-checking
The Register MS Will Become Indistinguishable From Spamfarms at This Current Pace
Follow the money...
Microsoft Layoffs Have Already Begun in Its PR Department
It is called Waggener Edstrom
Techrights Community as Litigants in Person (LIPs)
Unwittingly and due to circumstances we're had to step in to protect women abused by monstrous men who lack empathy
European Patent Office (EPO) Series: Rest and Recuperation on the Adriatic Coast
The EPO President's connections with the Croatian SIPO date back to his days as head of the EU trademark agency EUIPO
Firehose of Spam (Fake News) From The Register MS Today
This is how awful the state of news sites really is
Slopfarms Becoming Scarce and Few (or Inactive)
we'll try to refrain from even giving the remaining slopfarms any visibility
The Register MS Promotes Things That Do Not Exist... for Money
How much more ZTE spam will come out before 5PM?
Links 26/06/2026: RIP, Om Malik, 1966-2026
Links for the day
Memory Leaks Suck
Slop ('vibe') coding means lots of bad programs
Natural Disasters and Personal Disasters
Thank you, Om Malik, for the positive memories
Gemini Links 25/06/2026: Life Philosophy and Misery
Links for the day
GAFAM Became a Mainstream Term, and Why Words Matter
Conveying problems in useful terms [...] Impairing propaganda attempts (e.g. calling parrots "intelligence", back doors "confidential", and outsourcing "cloud") should be the first step
European Patent Office (EPO) on Strike Today, Next Week Another Historic Week
If you live in Europe, contact your delegates today
FSF FreeJS Project (Part of the GNU Project's Goals) Advanced Further in 2026
They're moving to reduce dependence on anything to do with Microsoft
SLAPP Censorship - Part 119 Out of 200: Our Suggestions to Our Politicians and Heads of State
coverage about SLAPPs and related matters
Microsoft Already Closing Down Studios, According to Some Publishers
It is being compared to what happened in Intel
IBM PIP Stories Told in Public, Fake IBM News (Fabricated Claims) Drown Media Sites
IBM is seeding fake news to help justify the bailout
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Thursday, June 25, 2026
IRC logs for Thursday, June 25, 2026
Microsoft Falls to Lowest Value Since 2023
Microsoft can come back down to somewhere below $100
This Could be the Start of Microsoft's Biggest Wave of Layoffs in 50+ Years
This is what it looked like for Intel a few years ago
The Register MS is Promoting a Pyramid Scheme for Money, But It Is Over 6 Million Pounds in Debt
How much lower can the reputation of this publisher sink?
Gemini Links 25/06/2026: Unix-like People and NeoGeo
Links for the day
Members of the Delegations in the EPO's Administrative Council Told That Amid Unrest Campinos Must Go; a Year of EPO Strikes Means It's Time to Change Leadership
Which strategy is needed for the European Patent Organisation?
The Cyber Show on How Data is Misused and Broadcast is Abused to Crush Resistance to Harmful Technology
We recently published a number of articles about how Computer Science is coming under attack
Increasing Participation Rates in Staff Representatives' Elections at the European Patent Office (EPO)
The industrial actions seem to have brought colleagues closer together
Microsoft's Mass Layoffs Have Already Begun (Could Not Wait 'Til July)
Microsoft's biggest layoffs round in 50+ years?
Assessing the "Worth" of a Life
Don't let blunt plutocrats decide whether Venezuelans deserve sympathy or not
Planning 20-Year Techrights Event
Interested people can contact us in IRC
Links 25/06/2026: Earthquakes Strike Venezuela, Conflict of Interest in Kangaroo Court UPC
Links for the day
More Weight of IBM's Stock is Ascribed to Lies and Things That Do Not Exist
Turning stones into gold?
SLAPP Censorship - Part 118 Out of 200: Exposing Crimes is Not a Crime, It is a Public Service
We will soon enter the sixth year of lawfare
Links 25/06/2026: "Why We Need Seed Legislation" and XBox Chaos Predicted by Insiders
Links for the day
Gemini Links 25/06/2026: Hobbies Change, Young love, Strange Encounter, and Raspberry Pi Zero W
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, June 24, 2026
IRC logs for Wednesday, June 24, 2026