Why I Don't Yahoo!

Yes, well what does that mean?

The guy used Yahoo, and Yahoo supplied evidence when asked for it? What?

If the guy was breaking the law in China and Yahoo was in being used by this guy to conduct any illegal activity, then Yahoo has a social responsibility to assist Chinese authorities. It's called minimal contact.

Fact of the matter is, anything you do that breaks the law in another country via the internet qualifies as minimal contact and that country can prosecute you for it and if you are also in violation of US law at the same time, our courts will uphold the ruling of the foreign court.

Microsoft was sued by France because of that. In France it is illegal to show advertising via the internet unless the viewer requests to see that advertisement. Microsoft had a pop up window come up advertising in France and someone sued for it and won. Microsoft had to appeal the French ruling in the US, and since Microsoft didn't break any US laws, the US courts ruled that Microsoft didn't have to pay any damages.

As long as people have the ability to download and use Yahoo in that country, then Yahoo has legal obligations to that country and has to honor the laws of that country regardless if Yahoo is housed here in the US.

I have had the privilege of meeting a lot of really nice people in China and Russia. It would be a shame to have them cut off from the outside world by their respective governments just because a web based business refuses to cooperate in some kind of criminal investigation.

This has been another chapter in the long ongoing saga of corporate greed vs moral obligations vs fears of the bystanders concerning how it will affect them (US, who live in fairly "free speech" countries), and it points up just how inconsistent, and untrustworthy, companies can be, when they sense big money available in places that don't bend to the "inalienable" rights of people. ("Inalienable in quotes, because life makes it obvious that not everyone sees the right to privacy the same way, and we're fools if we think just "saying it is so, makes it so".)

When Yahoo first wanted to open its doors in China if you think back, you'll remember that they were first castigated for giving in to the Chinese Government on censorship, and on privacy rights (The government over there would have not only control over what you could see and do, but also would have a constant eye over your shoulder watching your every move. A recipe for personal disaster in a totalitarian government.)

So, what did Yahoo do? Well, first they tried the "Don't you people outside China worry, we won't do this to you" routine, and their stock took a dive, so they said "no way will we bow to the Chinese government trying to censor us/the Chinese people", which we all knew to be a crock, since they wanted that Chinese business/revenue so badly. And europium is right, they aren't to be trusted.

But I'll use them anyway, because the first thing that has to fall is the Government, and ours hasn't fallen yet.

Let's keep it that way.

as a group of over i billion people, we do have a voice as to what we will tolerate from a company such as yahoo.

are voices are very powerful, but i think i'm talking to the wrong "DON"T ROCK THE BOAT" blog.

are any of you willing to condenm them or delete them? better yet, crucifiy them.

god knows, none of you have anything better to do. yes, i know it hurts, but you know i'm right

please enlighten me, how long ago was it when the internet was considered to be "hands off' to governing agencies? and what the hell happened?

We can argue over the fact that what the crime was is free speech. Freedom is hard won many have died and still do for this idea. I praise Wang's commitment to this idea. The country just needs more Wang's. But doesn't Yahoo in it's availability to the Chinese people help to foster this idea.

Who decides to what extent and what crimes these companies have responsibility to help out with?

Morally they were wrong. Legally they were right to support the legal system in the country the crime was committed.

yahoo was heavily critized when they made a concience decision to provide internet service to chinese citizens under heavy government censorship, and only for the profits to be made.

anyone who would endorse communist law is likely to be a latent communist, someone who has been brain washed from living in a communist country or a little "troll" [assh#le] that is ignorant about human rights.

i'm sure my friends would be glad to raise enough money to buy you a one way ticket to china.

i'll be happy to pay the bill for the bullet they use to execute their country men and anyone else considered to be a threat to the communist party..

yes, they do sent the bill for the bullet to the next of kin.