The EPO treats employees like frightened children

Summary: The unprecedented censorship and information war inside the European Patent Office (EPO) reaches ridiculous levels, where a parallel reality is being constructed and outrageous amounts of money spent to reinforce this bogus reality

AS NOTED here earlier on, there is a happiness propaganda in the making (conducted secretly by EPO managers). We expect it to be funneled pretty soon into media sites and the European press, assisted by a massive budget (about $80,000 per month) as part of the EPO's secret reputation laundering campaign (leaked here last week).

"Inside the EPO there is still a misinformation campaign as the management blocks E-mails from certain domains, blocks entire Web sites (like Techrights), and apparently tries to control the channels through which staff receives information."Not only SUEPO is concerned about the abuses at the EPO. Other unions are equally concerned and they speak about it, though having seen how SUEPO is being crushed, they must be terrified, so they're just tiptoeing.

Inside the EPO there is still a misinformation campaign as the management blocks E-mails from certain domains, blocks entire Web sites (like Techrights), and apparently tries to control the channels through which staff receives information. It mirrors government censorship just like with Wikileaks back in 2010 (several public, taxpayers-funded institutions in the US blocked access to Wikileaks, not just parts of the US Army).

"Well, this is not surprising given the EPO's history of going as far as threatening staff representatives for presenting mere links to negative press articles about the EPO."Owing to the Streisand Effect alone (attempts to gag Techrights using threats), we have noticed that top news in Google News right now (try a search for "EPO") yield very negative press articles. They're visible at the very top. Here is the Streisand Effect^* in action (the very same thing that EPO tried to deny access to is now top news, more so because of the suppression efforts):

Many people have been reading about this recently. In the EPO, however, the babysitters who blocked Techrights apparently keep tight controls.

Earlier today we learned about "THE MEDIA COVERAGE" at the EPO. To quote what we've learned: "Media coverage is progressing all over Europe. After France, NL, Belgium, Germany, it is now the turn of new public attention throughout Europe. It is interesting to note that the Intranet fails to present any negative press cuttings, reports and reactions from the media."

Well, this is not surprising given the EPO's history of going as far as threatening staff representatives for presenting mere links to negative press articles about the EPO. Is this China or is this Europe? Is this a private company or a public service?

"Interesting in particular," said the same person, "is the link made with the risk such situation brings for the patent System as a whole and the public or users in particular.

"Here is a collection of some of the latest ones: [with our comments in brackets]

€· in Denmark: http://ing.dk/debat/epo-paa-vildspor-en-status-180452 (article by George Brock-Nannestad, we need a translation from a Danish-speaking reader)

€· in Portugal: http://observador.pt/2015/11/27/mundo-obscuro-da-organizacao-europeia-patentes/ (by Observador, mentioned here a day ago)

€· in the United Kingdom: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/11/30/european_patent_office_launches_lawyers/ (article by Kieren McCarthy, mentioned here before)

€· in Spain: http://www.elconfidencial.com/economia/2015-11-26/suicidios-espionaje-nepotismo-la-oficina-europea-de-patentes-es-un-polvorin_1107057/ (just translated for us)

€· in Italy: http://punto-informa.co.it/4286621/PI/News/epo-denunce-breve are.aspx (by Carlos Sánchez, English translation published here yesterday)

€· in Germany : http://www.labournet.de/internationales/europa/europaeisches-patentamt-belegschaft-gegen-sonnenkoenig /#more-77614 (mentioned here before)

"And also in Blogs:

€· Techdirt: https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20151125/06173532901/european-patent-office-threatens-blogger-with-defamation-lawsuit- criticism.shtml (by Mike Masnick, a little out of date by now)

€· WIPR: http://www.worldipreview.com/page/10-second-survey-industrial-dispute (readers, please take this 10-second survey)

€· Techrights: please consult outside the EPO (or in Mozilla’s Cache)

€· SUEPO took an official position on Mr Battstelli's letter to French MP Pierre-Yves le Borgn' who has published it on his blog (SUEPO's position can be found in pdf at the bottom of Mr le Borgn's post): http://www.pyleborgn.eu/2015/11/crise-a-loeb-reponse-de-lunion-syndicale-suepo/

“...when protest are measurable and visible, they trigger reactions of the press and politicians, which are otherwise busy elsewhere...”
      --Anonymous"As the Register notes, these events have been “covered in some depth for several months but it was the mass protests that appears to have been the spark that lead the heavy legal response from the EPO”. It is also the case for the reaction from the media: when protest are measurable and visible, they trigger reactions of the press and politicians, which are otherwise busy elsewhere...

"For those who do not find comfort in protesting but “feel confused, burdened, anxious, caught in a whirlwind, endlessly spinning in a wheel like a hamster on amphetamines”, I would advise to take the take heart in the advices of the following excellent DH publication. And most important of all, think of yourself, your friends and beloved ones: your health comes first."

Our next post will be about the protests, which we encourage everyone who works in Munich to attend. ⬆ ____ ^* It is worth noting that the person who coined the term "Streisand Effect" has just proven it again. That was yesterday (an article titled "Our Response To The Latest Ridiculous Legal Threat Against Us").