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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWho’s spying on nonprofits for corporate America?
The Center for Corporate Policy recently released a report demonstrating how large corporations hire former law enforcement officials to spy on nonprofit organizations considered to be a threat to them. We added all of the firms in the report to a list in LittleSisCorporate Espionage Firmsto take a closer look at some of the people behind these firms.
TrustWave, formerly known as NetSafe, was paid by the firm S2i, formerly known as BBI, to assist with electronic surveillance of Greenpeace for Dow Chemical. The report notes that TrustWaves founder and a current director, Joe Patanella, formerly worked for the NSA. A quick look at TrustWaves interlocks shows that Phil Smith, current SVP of Government Solutions, formerly worked at the Department of Justice and the Secret Service.
Total Intelligence Solutions was hired by Monsanto to infiltrate unknown nonprofits organizing against the company in 2008. The report highlights the role of Cofer Black, chair of Total Intel at the time, in establishing the firms relationship with Monsanto. Black was at the helm of the CIAs Counterterrorist Center until 2002, when he took over counterterrorism efforts at the State Department before leaving to join ACADEMI, formerly known as Blackwater, as vice chair in 2004. Total Intel was launched by Erik Prince, owner of Blackwater, in 2007. In addition to Black, he brought on Robert Richer as CEO, who previously worked at the CIA.
Stratfor worked for Coca-Cola and Dow spying on animal and human rights activists, according to emails released by WikiLeaks in 2012. Fred Burton, one of the emailers and Stratfors VP of Intelligence, came into the private sector from the State Departments Bureau of Diplomatic Security. Stratfors interlocks show that another vice-president, Scott Stewart, also came from the State Department.
THE REST (with links):
http://blog.littlesis.org/2013/12/03/whos-spying-on-nonprofits-for-corporate-america/
pscot
(21,024 posts)and don't know it.
Triana
(22,666 posts)...not so much. Or, they're v.confused about who we're really at war WITH!
and it's just the beginning
Triana
(22,666 posts)Posing as volunteers. Stealing documents. Dumpster diving. Planting electronic bugs. Hacking computers. Tapping phones and voicemail. Planting false information. Trailing family members. Threatening reporters. Hiring cops, CIA officers and combat veterans to do all these dirty deedsand counting on little pushback from law enforcement, mainstream media or Congress.
These are some of the ways that many of Americas largest corporations have spied on nonprofits for years, according to a detailed new report from the Center for Corporate Policy tracing decades of corporate espionage where tactics developed for American intelligence agencies have been imported by a long list of corporate giants for use against progressives.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Walmart, Monsanto, Bank of America, Dow Chemical, Kraft, Coca-Cola, Chevron, Burger King, McDonalds, Shell, BP, BEA, Sasol, Brown & Williamson and E.ON have all been linked to espionage against non-profit organizations, activists and whistleblowers, the report said, noting that its targets are environmental, anti-war, public-interest, consumer, food safety, pesticide reform, nursing home reform, gun control, social justice, animal rights and arms-control groups.
Theres so many different tactics, said Gary Ruskin, the centers director and the reports author. Its so important to talk about the effects on our democracy and privacy. Civic groups cant work if theyre surrounded by serious espionage activities. And citizens dont lose their rights to privacy if they disagree with corporations.
Compared to Europe, where some of the same corporate playersand their staff or hired gunshave landed in court, been shamed in the media and even given jail terms, spying against non-profits has flourished with little legal consequence in America.
THE REST:
http://www.alternet.org/activism/corporate-espionage-against-progressive-nonprofits
dreamnightwind
(4,775 posts)This site is asking for help on their work from the public, worth checking out. Proper formatting at the linked page.
Thanks for this OP, important to know about and to expose.
http://littlesis.org/list/496/Corporate_Espionage_Firms
Corporate Esionage Firms
Name About
ACADEMI formerly Blackwater
Berico Technologies Data analytics
Diplomatic Tactical Services
Global Open Corporate espionage
Hakluyt British private investigative firm
HBGary Federal Subsidiary of ManTech International Corporation
Information Network Associates Premier investigative & security services to...
Inkerman Group London and Kent based company offering counter...
Investigative Group Inc IGI is a preeminent private investigation and...
Kargus Consultants
Ketchum Public Relations Global public relations agency
Kroll Risk consulting company
Palantir Technologies Intelligence & data analytics
S2i
Stratfor Strategic intelligence on global business,...
Total Intelligence Solutions Intelligence gathering firm
TrustWave Corp Private security firm; information security;...
Vericola UK-based private security/intelligence gathering...
elehhhhna
(32,076 posts)dreamnightwind
(4,775 posts)They're actually soliciting information from the public, it looks like they'd be happy to have the help (whoever lilsis.org is).
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)BelgianMadCow
(5,379 posts)sickening