Hackers take over Nike Web site

By Associated Press Last Update: 3:01 PM ET Jun 21, 2000 NewsWatch Latest headlines

BEAVERTON, Ore. (AP) - The Nike corporate Web site was taken over by hackers Wednesday who replaced the content with a message about the "inequality" of the global economy.

A Web page posted by a group calling itself "S-11" appeared when the www.nike.com address was requested.

The page says that "global justice is coming - prepare now," and calls for action at the World Economic Forum 2000 on Sept. 11-13 in Melbourne, Australia.

The top of one page on the site contains the words "shut down the world economic forum."

The 2000 Olympic Games are set to begin Sept. 16 in nearby Sydney, Australia, and Nike is a major corporate sponsor.

Nike (NKE: news, msgs) computer technicians were regaining control of the site, spokesman Vada Manager said Wednesday afternoon.

"We're backtracking now to find out how this happened," Manager said.

Nike has faced repeated criticism by student and labor rights groups for years over conditions at contract factories overseas, especially in Asia and Latin America.

The Beaverton-based athletic shoe and clothing company has worked to improve conditions, hiring monitors and creating executive positions to deal exclusively with labor rights.

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-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), June 21, 2000