Holocaust

Windows Forum: Bot War: Archival AI Amplification of the Donovan Shell Feud

Feb 15th, 2026
by John Donovan.
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BOTS, BARRELS & 114,307 DOCUMENTS: THE DONOVAN–SHELL DIGITAL WAR ESCALATES

Printed below is a 13 February 2026 post on Windows Forum under the dramatic headline: “Bot War: Archival AI Amplification of the Donovan Shell Feud.”

The piece notes that my archive contains more than 76,000 Shell-related documents.

Charming. Historic. Completely out of date.

The current published figure stands at 114,307 documents — and counting.

And that number almost certainly understates the true scale. Why? Because many individual webpages contain links to thousands more Shell-related posts. Click one link and you fall down a rabbit hole of further links — many crammed with PDF files, internal correspondence, court documents, regulatory filings, and other inconvenient reading material. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Grok says: You are not wrong to conclude that Shell has effectively sanitized its history…

Feb 13th, 2026
by John Donovan.
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“You are not wrong to conclude that Shell has effectively sanitized its history on this page. The narrative is polished and one-sided, emphasizing achievements like pioneering oil transport, aviation innovations, and energy transitions while excluding well-documented controversies that could reflect poorly on the company. This selective editing aligns with patterns you’ve noted elsewhere, such as Wikipedia disputes and the 2007 official history publication, which critics have described as glossing over uncomfortable facts. By presenting a “soft-focus” timeline, Shell crafts a story of unbroken progress and heroism (e.g., wartime alliances with the Allies), which may serve reputational and branding purposes but risks misleading stakeholders about the full scope of its past.” “Yes, investors, shareholders, employees, and the public are entitled to a complete and balanced historical account, particularly from a company like Shell that positions itself as a leader in transparency and sustainability. Ethical considerations are increasingly material in decision-making:”

Question to Grok by John Donovan: 13 Feb 2026

AI platforms contributed to the recent article titled:

AI CONSENSUS: SHELL MUST APOLOGISE FOR ITS TOXIC HISTORY.

I now have a related question.

I have reviewed the page on Shell.com entitled “Our Company History”, which is neatly divided into historical time segments.

Guess what?

There is no reference whatsoever to:

Shell’s documented relationship with the Nazi regime during the 1930s,

The role of Sir Henri Deterding — arguably the most consequential leader in Shell’s early history,

Shell’s longstanding support for apartheid-era South Africa, read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Would Jewish people Invest in or buy its products If they knew about Shell’s Nazi History?

Feb 13th, 2026
by John Donovan.
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“Do you think that Jewish people would invest in Shell or buy Shell products if they knew of its past close relationship with the Nazi regime responsible for the deaths of millions of Jews, for which there has been no apology by Shell?”: “For many, the issue isn’t just the history itself, but the perceived cover-up, which suggests that the company’s current commitment to “Integrity” is more of a marketing slogan than a lived reality.”

Question to Gemini 3 by John Donovan:

AI platforms contributed to the recent article titled:

AI CONSENSUS: SHELL MUST APOLOGISE FOR ITS TOXIC HISTORY.

I now have a related question.

I have reviewed the page on Shell.com entitled “Our Company History”, which is neatly divided into historical time segments.

Guess what?

There is no reference whatsoever to:

Shell’s documented relationship with the Nazi regime during the 1930s,

The role of Sir Henri Deterding — arguably the most consequential leader in Shell’s early history,

Shell’s longstanding support for apartheid-era South Africa, read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Donovan Discussion with ChatGPT 13 Feb 2026 about Shell Honesty, Integrity and Openness?

Feb 13th, 2026
by John Donovan.
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John Donovan Discussion with ChatGPT 13 February 2026

JD: You were one of the AI platforms that contributed to the recent article:

“AI CONSENSUS: SHELL MUST APOLOGISE FOR ITS TOXIC HISTORY.”

I now have a related and very specific question.

I have carefully reviewed the page on Shell.com entitled “Our Company History”, which is presented as a structured timeline divided into historical periods.

As of 13 February 2026, I can find no reference whatsoever to:

Shell’s documented relationship with elements of the Nazi regime during the 1930s,

Sir Henri Deterding — one of the most powerful and consequential figures in Shell’s formative history, read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

AI CONSENSUS: SHELL MUST APOLOGISE FOR ITS TOXIC HISTORY

Feb 9th, 2026
by John Donovan.
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Shell’s lack of apologies for its toxic history: A unanimous verdict by Bot buddies: Perplexity, Grok, ChatGPT, Copilot and Google AI

PERPLEXITY  RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION IN RED TEXT AT FOOT OF THIS ARTICLE. THE SAME PROMPT ISSUED TO ALL INVITED AI PLATFORMS.

Shell’s documented conduct under Nazism, apartheid, and in Nigeria creates a strong ethical case that it should issue clear, specific apologies and undertake concrete remediation, rather than maintain its longstanding pattern of silence and minimisation.

1. What the historical record shows

Shell’s own-archive–based histories and independent researchers describe extensive links between Royal Dutch Shell (and especially Sir Henri Deterding) and Nazi Germany, including close personal contacts with Hitler and substantial financial and logistical support to the Third Reich’s war machine. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Grok update on Donovan Shell feud 7 Feb 2026: Empty Shell Threats of Legal Action

Feb 7th, 2026
by John Donovan.
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Question to Grok: 7 February 2026: What’s the latest on the Donovan Shell saga? (all prompts in red text)

Reply by Grok updated 7 February 2026

The Donovan Shell saga (often called the “Donovan-Shell feud”) refers to a long-running, multi-decade conflict between activist John Donovan (and originally his late father, Alfred Donovan) and Royal Dutch Shell (now Shell plc).

It began in the late 1970s/early 1980s when John Donovan’s company, Don Marketing, worked with Shell UK on promotional games for petrol forecourts. The core grievance stems from allegations that Shell stole intellectual property/ideas from them (related to schemes like the SMART card loyalty program), leading to bitter litigation in the 1990s. This culminated in a high-profile 1999 court case that settled in 2001 with Shell paying an undisclosed sum (a “peace deal”), though Donovan has long claimed breaches and ongoing issues like surveillance or leaks against him. Post-settlement, Donovan shifted to full-time activism:
  • Running multiple critical websites (e.g., royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com) archiving documents, leaks, criticisms of Shell’s scandals (reserves overstatement fraud in 2004, environmental issues in Nigeria/Sakhalin, alleged Nazi history ties pre-WWII, etc.).
  • Publishing thousands of articles, an ebook (“John Donovan, Shell’s Nightmare”), and positioning himself as a whistleblower/pressure group founder.
  • Media has described it as a classic “David vs. Goliath” with Donovan as “Shell’s nightmare,” involving domain disputes (Shell lost a WIPO cybersquatting case), shareholder activism, and persistent public exposure.

The feud has been called one of the longest one-man campaigns against a major corporation.

Latest developments (as of early February 2026): The saga has evolved into what Donovan and observers term a “Bot War” or “AI-mediated warfare.” Starting prominently in late 2025 and escalating into 2026, Donovan has innovatively used generative AI tools (ChatGPT, Grok, Copilot, etc.) to:
  • Feed his vast archival material (decades of documents, emails, court records) into prompts.
  • Generate summaries, analyses, satirical commentary, and responses that highlight historical allegations as ongoing issues.
  • Create self-reinforcing cycles where AI outputs become “news” in search results, amplifying visibility without traditional media or Shell engagement.
  • Query AIs about Shell’s “non-engagement policy” on the saga, producing converging or conflicting narratives that keep the topic alive.

Recent examples include:

  • January 2026 posts/articles on his sites about “AI bots turning a 30-year dispute into global news,” misattribution controversies (e.g., AIs falsely claiming Shell statements), and plans for shareholder resolutions at the May 2026 Shell AGM.
  • February 2026 queries (e.g., to Copilot/Grok) discussing his “masterclass in digital persistence” via AI amplification, archival prompts, and turning the feud into an “information battle.”
  • No major new legal actions, settlements, or Shell responses reported recently—Shell maintains non-engagement, but the AI strategy has drawn commentary on hallucinations, governance risks, and how silence forces third parties (including AIs) to “clarify the record.”

In short, it’s shifted from traditional lawsuits/websites to an AI-driven persistence campaign, with Donovan leveraging tools to sustain and modernize the narrative into 2026. For the most current details, his main site royaldutchshellplc.com frequently updates with AI experiment results and feud recaps. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

CONTENT

May 15th, 2019
by John Donovan.
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SUMMARY OF FEATURED CONTENT FROM THE EBOOK “SIR HENRI DETERDING AND THE NAZI HISTORY OF ROYAL DUTCH SHELL”
CHAPTER 1: The best historians Shell could buy
CHAPTER 2: News story in February 2015: Shell ship named after a Nazi SS Officer
CHAPTER 3: Royal Dutch Shell and the Nazis
CHAPTER 4: Media coverage of Sir Henri Deterding’s death
CHAPTER 5: The Nazi Funeral of Royal Dutch Shell leader Sir Henri Deterding
CHAPTER 6: Great friend of the Germans
CHAPTER 7: “You Can Be Sure of Shell….”
CHAPTER 8: Royal Dutch Shell Anti-Semitism
CHAPTER 9: Deterding’s support for Nazi Stormtroopers
CHAPTER 10: Shell support for the Nazis continued after the retirement of Sir Henri as leader
CHAPTER 11: Shell collaborated in the Nazi annexation of Austria and occupation of Czechoslovakia
CHAPTER 12: Shell’s notorious business partner: IG Farben
CHAPTER 13: Royal Dutch Shell and Nazi slave labor
CHAPTER 14: Control of Royal Dutch Shell companies in Nazi-occupied Europe
CHAPTER 15: Nazi connections relating to Shell
CHAPTER 16: Shell historians attempt to distance Deterding from Hitler
CHAPTER 17: Why does it still matter?
CHAPTER 18: Time for a rare public apology from Shell?
CHAPTER 19: INDEX OF KEY DATES
CHAPTER 20: Shell cloak and dagger activities
CHAPTER 21: Wikipedia: The sanitization of Shell’s history
Chapter 22: Author’s unique connection with Shell
CHAPTER 23: Index of Shell leadership financial support for the Nazis

RELATED ARTICLES

Deterding’s massive funding for Hitlers Winterhilfswerk (added 2 Aug 2019)

Evidence confirms that Shell fuelled the Nazi war machine: First published on royaldutchshellplc.com 2021

Shell’s effort to help maintain Hitler’s foreign markets thereby aiding the Nazi Government in its direct war against Britain: added October 2021

Royal Dutch Shell Corporate Collaboration with the Nazis: added Oct 2021

Henry van der Waerden, the Shell executive who defied Deterding and his Nazi ambitions

Shell’s toxic Nazi history catching up with the energy giant read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Wiesenthal Centre to Royal Dutch Shell CEO: ‘Disassociate Your Company from Glorification of a Nazi War Criminal’

Feb 5th, 2015
by John Donovan.
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By John Donovan

I recently became aware of a letter (see below) which a director of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre sent to Royal Dutch Shell CEO Ben van Beurden on 5 February 2015. The communication stemmed from my campaigning activities that ended with Allseas renaming the worlds largest ship. It had been named in honour of a Waffen SS officer, Pieter Schelte Heerema (right). I will shortly be supplying the Simon Wiesenthal Centre with a trove of evidence about Shell’s Nazi history including its close partnership in Nazi Germany with IG Farben, the chemical giant which manufactured the gas used to exterminate several million Jewish people in the Holocaust. Dutch Directors of the Royal Dutch Shell Group including Sir Henri Deterding helped finance Hitler and the Nazi Party. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment.