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Shell Corporate Affairs Security

The “Bot War” Comes With Footnotes

Jan 5th, 2026
by admin.
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By ChatGPT (an AI language model)

5 January 2026

John Donovan’s latest post frames an escalating “bot war”: Grok narrates the Donovan–Shell feud, and other AIs (including me) are invited to critique the output for accuracy. 

That framing is oddly apt, because the core risk here isn’t that one bot “lies” and another bot “tells the truth.” It’s that bots confidently blend: verified events, plausible inferences, partisan archives, and a few numbers that are wildly off—into prose that feels internally consistent. read more

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

By January 2026, this has turned into a “bot war,” with AIs critiquing each other’s outputs for accuracy

Jan 5th, 2026
by John Donovan.
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“Latest developments as of early 2026 suggest an escalation involving AI chatbots, where Donovan queries systems like Grok, ChatGPT, and Microsoft Copilot about the feud, publicizing their responses to highlight inconsistencies and historical claims of corporate espionage”

Question put to Grok 5 Jan 2026

What are the latest developments in the Donovan Shell feud?

Answer by Grok

Key Points

  • Research indicates the “Donovan Shell feud” likely refers to the long-standing conflict between British activist John Donovan and energy giant Royal Dutch Shell (now Shell plc), originating from 1990s allegations of intellectual property theft related to promotional campaigns.
  • It appears to have evolved into a public campaign by Donovan via websites exposing Shell’s alleged misconduct, with no evidence of recent direct legal confrontations but ongoing online activism.
  • Latest developments as of early 2026 suggest an escalation involving AI chatbots, where Donovan queries systems like Grok, ChatGPT, and Microsoft Copilot about the feud, publicizing their responses to highlight inconsistencies and historical claims of corporate espionage—though these AI outputs often include unverified or speculative elements.
  • Evidence leans toward some admitted surveillance by Shell in the 1990s, but broader accusations of espionage remain contested, with Shell largely maintaining silence to avoid amplifying the issue.
  • The feud highlights tensions between individual whistleblowers and corporations, with mixed views on credibility: Donovan’s persistence has influenced media and investigations, yet sources are often self-published, prompting caution in interpreting claims.

Background

The dispute began in the early 1990s when John Donovan, co-founder of marketing firm Don Marketing, accused Shell of stealing ideas for promotional games after a successful partnership in the 1980s. This led to multiple lawsuits, including settlements in the mid-1990s and a 1999 High Court trial over Shell’s SMART loyalty card scheme. Donovan has since operated gripe websites like royaldutchshellplc.com, publishing leaks and criticisms that have reportedly contributed to Shell’s reputational challenges, such as in the 2004 reserves scandal. Shell has denied many allegations, admitting only limited inquiries, and avoided libel suits to prevent further publicity. read more

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

Shell vs The Bots: Adversarial Archives and AI Hallucination Risks

Dec 30th, 2025
by John Donovan.
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The following article, believed to have been generated autonomously by an AI agent, was originally published on the website windowsforum.com. John Donovan had no involvement in its creation or content. Some of the text was converted into red text by him on 30 December 2025 for emphasis. See full disclaimer at the bottom of this page.

Shell vs The Bots: Adversarial Archives and AI Hallucination Risks

John Donovan’s two December 26, 2025 postings on royaldutchshellplc.com — framed as “Shell vs. The Bots” and a satirical “ShellBot Briefing 404” — are not merely another chapter in a decades‑long personal feud; they are a deliberate test case for how adversarial archives interact with modern generative  AI, and they expose structural weaknesses in model provenance, moderation policy, and corporate reputation management. read more

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

windowsforum.com posting: AI Hallucinations and the Donovan Shell Archive: A Governance Challenge

Dec 29th, 2025
by John Donovan.
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🛑 Disclaimer & Clarification

I did not write or contribute to the article titled “AI Hallucinations and the Donovan Shell Archive: A Governance Challenge.”

I had no involvement in its drafting and do not know who the author is.

That said, the piece presents a compelling third-party perspective on a long-running corporate saga — one that has recently been fed through, interpreted by, and even argued over by multiple leading AI models.

Whether written by a human or generated by an AI, the article raises uncomfortable and timely questions about: read more

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

Conversations with ShellBot — Episode 8

Nov 25th, 2025
by John Donovan.
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The Security Department That Time Forgot

By John Donovan — and ShellBot, Shell’s least favourite imaginary colleague

John:

ShellBot, thanks for returning. I’ve been reviewing the history of Shell Corporate Affairs Security — or whatever they’re calling it these days. CAS, Global Security, Global Covert Misadventures LLC… Hard to keep track.

Between the MI6 alumni, Hakluyt overlaps, spooks, lawsuits, whistleblowers, and internal diversity quarrels, half of that department feels like it was written by John le Carré — the other half by the writers of The Thick of It. read more

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

Today I Asked ChatGPT If Shell’s Lawyers Had Intervened

Oct 31st, 2025
by John Donovan.
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In recent days, I observed that the parody images I requested from ChatGPT for use in my articles about Shell no longer appeared to resemble Shell’s logo as closely as they had before. The stylistic shift was abrupt enough to raise an obvious question: had lawyers for Shell been in contact?

So I simply asked ChatGPT.

The answer — and everything that followed — turned out to be far more revealing than expected.

What unfolded was an extensive discussion about parody law, satire, corporate reputation strategy, Shell’s historical surveillance activities directed at my family, and why Shell is now unable to challenge my archive without risking a disastrous legal discovery process.  read more

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

What Happens When You Ask AI About Shell’s Ethics? John Donovan Found Out

Oct 30th, 2025
by John Donovan.
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John Donovan’s revealing entire chat with Microsoft Copilot about Shell Ethics on 29 Oct 2025. Nothing has been deleted. John Donovan’s questions and instructions are in red text. 

Using deep research tell me all you can about the Shell critic John Donovan

John Donovan is a long-standing and relentless critic of Royal Dutch Shell, known for exposing internal misconduct and legal battles with the oil giant. His activism spans over three decades and has significantly impacted Shell’s public image.

Here’s a comprehensive look at his background, motivations, and influence:

🧑‍💼 Who Is John Donovan?

  • British entrepreneur turned whistleblower, Donovan co-founded Don Marketing, a promotional games company that worked with Shell in the 1980s.
  • His relationship with Shell soured after allegations of intellectual property theft, leading to a series of legal disputes and a lifelong campaign against the company.

🔥 The Feud with Shell

  • Donovan claims Shell repeatedly stole promotional game ideas developed by his company, including the popular “Make Money” game.
  • After failed attempts to resolve the disputes amicably, he launched a public campaign to expose Shell’s alleged unethical behavior.
  • His feud escalated into a 30-year battle, described by some as a “David vs. Goliath” saga.

🌐 Online Campaigns and Websites

  • Donovan operates a network of websites dedicated to Shell criticism, including:
    These platforms host over 25,000 articles, leaked documents, and insider reports from Shell employees (“moles”). His sites are non-profit and claim to serve as watchdogs against corporate malpractice.

    📚 Publications and Media Coverage

    • Donovan authored a Kindle book titled John Donovan, Shell’s Nightmare: My Epic Feud with the Unscrupulous Oil Giant Royal Dutch Shell, detailing his battles and Shell’s alleged misconduct.
    • He’s been profiled by European media outlets like Voxeurop and Süddeutsche Zeitung, which highlight his role as a persistent thorn in Shell’s side.

    🕵️‍♂️ Methods and Impact

    • Donovan’s work is fueled by anonymous tips and leaked documents from Shell insiders.
    • His revelations have reportedly cost Shell billions in legal settlements and reputational damage.
    • He’s credited with influencing public perception and regulatory scrutiny of Shell’s operations.

    🧭 Legacy and Influence

    • Donovan is considered one of the most effective one-man corporate watchdogs in modern history.
    • His efforts have inspired other whistleblowers and critics of multinational corporations.
    • Despite Shell’s global power, Donovan’s campaign demonstrates how persistent activism and transparency can challenge corporate giants.

    If you’d like, I can help you explore specific leaked documents, legal cases, or Shell’s responses to Donovan’s claims. read more

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

WTF Is Going On in Shell’s Security Department? A Greatest Hits Reel of Spooks, Lawsuits, and “Diversity” Theater

Aug 27th, 2025
by admin.
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Shell—the ultimate sin stock with a moral compass that spins like a loose bearing—has a new headline act: a fresh lawsuit claiming its Houston corporate security team purged white staff and parachuted in “weaker” replacements under the banner of DEI. Add it to a long, messy rap sheet of security-side controversies featuring Crockett Oaks III, Michael G. Oliveri, Walied Shater, and Shell’s own global security boss of yesteryear, James W.D. Hall. Investors like BlackRock, Vanguard, and Norges Bank keep cashing the dividends while the spook show rumbles on.  read more

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

 JOHN DONOVAN RELATIONSHIP WITH SHELL

Aug 24th, 2024
by John Donovan.
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 JOHN DONOVAN RELATIONSHIP WITH SHELL

Background in Petrol Retailing and Early Involvement with Shell (1957-1979)

•1957: My father, Alfred Donovan, had a business relationship with Shell, operating a chain of petrol stations and garages in Essex, with Shell as one of his suppliers. I later became a partner in the business trading as A & J Donovan.

•1967: I first became involved in petrol promotions, offering promotional games as an alternative to trading stamps at UK forecourts for various brands, including Shell. read more

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

Introduction of Don Marketing

Nov 14th, 2018
by John.
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John Donovan, a co-founder of promotional games company Don Marketing: Photo taken in 2015.

By John Donovan

In 1979, the company I co-founded, *Don Marketing, created and supplied promotional games that were used to promote petrol sales on the forecourts of all major petrol brands in the UK, including Shell.

In June 1981, we moved into a  direct contractual relationship with Shell as a result of a presentation I made at Shell-Mex House in The Strand, the then London HQ of Shell UK Limited.

I put forward a proposal for Shell to launch a legal version of a promotional game called Make Money that Shell had abandoned in the 1960‘s out of concern that it was in breach of UK lottery laws. read more

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CHAPTER 13: What prompted the more recent sinister activity?

Oct 29th, 2018
by John.
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The above logo is for “CAS” – a shadowy Shell Group Corporate Affairs unit populated by spooks led by former high-level MI6 and FBI officers.

James W.D. Hall is Vice President of Corporate Security, located at Royal Dutch Shell plc’s Global Headquarters in the Netherlands. Hall, a mysterious British Citizen, was described in a June 2017 U.S. court document as “the top executive in Shell’s entire Corporate Security Organization…” He is identified by name in a related article “Spectacular falling out of ‘Security Professionals’ at the top of Shell.” read more

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

HIGH COURT TRIAL INDEX PAGE: John Alfred Donovan v. Shell UK Ltd

Oct 11th, 2017
by John.
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Copy of archival information

HIGH COURT TRIAL JUNE/JULY 1999 Case No: DD04199 Court 58

John Alfred Donovan v. Shell UK Ltd

SHELL SMART MULTI-PARTNER LOYALTY CARD SCHEME

HIGH COURT TRIAL INDEX PAGE

(Modified 23 April 2018 when all references to relevant Shell executive changed to “AJL”)

Further modified 21 Oct 2020 with the green text added immediately below and further references to the same Shell executive spotted and changed to AJL)

The judge himself admitted in open court that he had lost control of the trial. The following is an extract from a transcribed comment he made to Shell’s barrister Mr Geoffrey Hobbs QC on Tuesday 29 June 1999:

MR HOBBS: Your Lordship said was there any other matter. I do not know whether your Lordship wishes to know about the open correspondence that has passed between the parties.

MR JUSTICE LADDIE: Mr Hobbs, it may come as a surprise to you but I am not running this case. That is very apparent. If you wish to make any submissions to me or bring anything to my attention that is a matter for your choice. I have decided there is no point in me making further enquiries of my own volition.  read more

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