April 20, 2006
Yahoo...Chinese Agent
Do you really want to use Yahoo email?
Yahoo has again turned over information to the Chinese government that lead to a user being jailed, a human rights group says, for the third time. What makes this case a little different from earlier cases of Yahoo acceding to the Chinese is that Yahoo turned over a draft email to the authorities, not one that had been sent or received.Yahoo may not be the only one bowing to government force but they are certainly getting some play.
We really shouldn't expect these corporations to do any different. They are creatures of governments and in turn expect governments to not only protect them but also to assist them when adequate grease is applied.
If you want to see different behavior then you will need to ensure that governments do not interfere with the voluntary exchange of goods and services between individuals. Government and the corps will fight you just a bit on this one.
Posted by Steve on April 20, 2006
