Atos Origin vs the internet – stop Atos censoring the web!

Poverty pimps and well known corporate slime Atos Origin have taken their harassment of disabled people one step further by using flaky legal threats to censor and close down websites which have been critical of them.

At least three websites have now been hit by legal threats attempting to censor online criticism of the company.

The CarerWatch forum, which is an online meeting place for hundreds of disabled people and carers has been taken offline by the hosting company after legal threats made by Atos Origin regarding unspecified comments made on the forum.   Atos Origin’s involvement in the condemn Government’s notorious health and disability testing has made them a target of fury amongst many disabled people, which has led to a fierce campaigning against them both on and offline.  Atos are fighting back with the CarerWatch forum being only the latest website hit by Atos legal threats.

In May this year the Afteratos website was threatened with legal action over the use of their corporate logo in the spoof design above.  Atos also threatened the site over their use of the phrase ‘Atos Kills’.  Then last week Atos turned their attention to the aptly named ‘Atos Register of Shame’ claiming that:

“In particular we draw your attention to Atos Register of Shame which is purporting to be a register of health-care professional employees who have allegedly performed substandard medical assessments.

“This is a direct attack on Atos and the name of the website in and of itself is implying that Atos carries on its business in a manner which is shameful.”

Which is perfectly apt since the way Atos carries out it’s business is indeed shameful.  Atos have come under heavy criticism from disability campaigners . charities and increasingly the medical profession for their administration of the government’s Work Capability Assessment and decisions made based on Atos’ computer system has tragically already led to sick and disabled people committing suicide.  The Guardian reveals that 12 doctors are currently being investigated by the BMA over their treatment of vulnerable people and may face being struck off.

Enough is enough – it’s time to call on the trusty internet to resist this intimidation and harassment of disabled people and supporters wanting to speak out against this company.  Please tweet, blog, share – use the image above, or the phrase ‘atos kills’, let’s get spartacus style on the bastards.  If tweeting use the hashtags #atoskills #atos #atosorigin to let them know we’re talking about them.  Please stick up links to anti-atos posts in the comments and we’ll try get a list together.

A National Day of Action Against Atos Origin has also been called for the 3oth September, continuing the protests against this organisation have seen scores of demonstrations outside their premises across the UK.  In London demonstrators will gather outside the BMJ Recruitment Fair in Islington where Atos will be hoping to recruit new staff.  A leaflet reminding future Atos staff what they may be getting themselves into is below.

28 responses to “Atos Origin vs the internet – stop Atos censoring the web!

  1. Foreign gestapo hired by British Nazis

  2. Seems to me that the DWP’s lucrative contract for Work Capability Assessment is fast becoming a ‘poisoned chalice’. The leaflet is great. If I were a ‘health care professional’ that would certainly put a taint on potential employment with Atos. They can’t go into it with eyes closed after reading that!

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  5. At the time of my ATOS “medical” I was on a cocktail of drugs, some similar to chemotherapy. I had several reports from medical proffessionals to say I had a severe and enduring mental health problem compounded by physical health problems. ATOS scored me 0 points. I was shocked,upset and lost all hope. ATOS’s refusal to believe me almost resulted in my death last year due to my attempting suicide. It is no exaggeration to say that ATOS Kills.Mercifully I won at Tribunal-indeed the Tribunal panel made their mind up in my favour in minutes,based purely on the written evidence I had already supplied to ATOS . When I complained to ATOS I got a three age letter justifying their decision-unvelievable. I have heard of people dying weeks after receiving a clear bill of health from ATOS. I hate ATOS with a passion for what they did to me and the anguish they continue to cause to many other vulnerable members of our society-some of whom are too ill to fight back. They are heartless and unproffesional. It came as no surprise to me at all to learn that some of their Doctor’s may be struck off. I’d like to be at this protest,health permitting.

  6. Isn’t whether something is shameful a personal value judgement? It’s a subjective statement that can’t be anything other than the opinion of the site owners, and as such can’t be libel.

    The content of the site was personal testimonies. Now my understanding of libel is a bit shakier here, but this would only be libel if the people making the statements were deliberately embelishing their stories or knowingly telling lies in order to put ATOS in a bad light. If it’s just their views of the situation, it’s just a compilation of opinions, no matter how negative.

    Atos’s lawyers seem to interpret libel as anything that puts them in a bad light. Which rides roughshod over the rights of those treated badly to speak out about their experiences.

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  22. We the people must get together and stop this government of abusers and greedy self centred hipocrates.!!

  23. Well Actually

    Thanks to a number of cases concerning scientist being sued for libel for printing scientific facts (see Simon Singh vs the BCA, Ben Goldacre vs Matthias Rath and the case of Peter Wilmshurst for example), there is a strong and active campaign for libel reform going on.

    As part of that, the charity Sense About Science has published a guide called “So You’ve Had A Threatening Letter”, covering the steps you should take if you’ve had a letter threatening libel (the guide is available at http://www.senseaboutscience.org/data/files/resources/59/So-youve-had-a-threatening-letter-FINAL.pdf).

    The fact that someone doesn’t like or agree with what you’re saying does not in itself constitute libel. So just because Atos doesn’t like what you’re saying doesn’t necessarily give it grounds to sue. So if you get a letter, check the guide. If Atos don’t have grounds and more people stand up to them, it might make them less likely to keep wildly threatening libel.

  24. Not surprised they are threatening libel. it’s called “projection” They are libelling people everyday with their inadequate assessments. They’ve just done it to me-Now I’m an old bird who’s seen a thing or two but my jaw dropped when I read the copy of their medical reporton me today (which took me five weeks and exhausting phone calls to get). I would not recognise myself from this scandalous parody of my condition. i am still very very angry and completely beside myself 7 hours after reading this load of nonsense. How will I get to sleep tonight? just can’t calm down. Want them hounded out of town. Now.

  25. Thanks for this important and timely blog. I’m off to see the ATOS BASTARDS tomorrow so will come back and recount what went down. I’ve got a fact sheet from my union and will do my best to be awkward.
    Cheers
    Dave

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