Yahoo, You Disgust Me.

I don't know if this has been posted already, but I failed to find the issue via a search of the board.

Fr esh US outrage at Yahoo ahead of China hearings

U.S. Internet companies faced fresh bipartisan criticism in the Congress on Thursday following renewed controversy over Yahoo Inc.'s alleged role in the Chinese government's eight-year prison sentence against a second dissident.

"I don't like any American company ratting out a citizen for speaking out against their government," Rep. Tim Ryan, an Ohio Democrat and member of the House Human Rights Subcommittee, told Reuters on Thursday.

"This is the tip of the iceberg of a very oppressive regime that we have almost become accustomed to America," Rep. Chris Smith, a Republican and chairman of the House Human Rights Subcommittee, told Reuters.

Compliance with access restrictions is one thing, but helping the Chinese to hunt someone down is unacceptable!

I am done with you, Yahoo!

And so should anyone else...

This is corporate irresponsibility in the extreme!

"The choice in China and other countries is not whether to comply with local laws. The choice is whether to remain in the country or not," Osaka said. "We have a philosophy of engagement. We believe the Internet is a positive force."

Disgusting. :shk:


[edit on 10-2-2006 by loam]

I agree. This is disgusting and a menace to freedom. If I didn't rely on Google so much, I'd probably stop using them too. I don't like them even complying with the policies in China. At least Google is informing them that they've been censored, I guess...

The article isn't very specific, I don't understand how the company actually ratted this person out.

Eh, I never liked or used Yahoo anyway. The messenger confuses me. D=

They provided the Chinese the necessary information to trace the emails to guy's computer.

Group alleges Yahoo! complicit in Chinese dissident arrest

Reporters Without Borders said in statement that Yahoo (Research) provided customer data to the Chinese government on several occasions, including in the 2003 case of Li Zhi, who was jailed for "inciting subversion...."

"[Yahoo] says it simply responds to requests from the authorities for data without ever knowing what it will be used for. But this argument no longer holds water," said the statement. "Yahoo certainly knew it was helping to arrest political dissidents and journalists, not just ordinary criminals."

[edit on 10-2-2006 by loam]

Doesn't Google own Yahoo or vice versa?

Maybe I'm thinking of something else....

Originally posted by Shadowshocker163
Doesn't Google own Yahoo or vice versa?

Maybe I'm thinking of something else....

No, neither. At one point Yahoo used Google's technology for searching, but they don't even do that anymore.

from another point of view, this is good for Yahoo, good for freedom and also for China.

Without yahoo, china is still china and maybe be even worse if any difference. with yahoo, at least people over there can find some information more or less related to whatever you think is good for them.

[edit on 10-2-2006 by darkhero]

That is why is only a gray area for them doing censorship on their search results in order to be there. HOWEVER. That is different from turning over records that help the chinese government arrest dissidents. That is where they completely crossed the line and lose my respect completely.