Yahoo accused of deception

Source: Technology Digital

Date :07/11/2007 05:31:14

A US congressional panel has criticized internet firm Yahoo for not giving full details to a probe into the jailing of a reporter by Chinese authorities.

Journalist Shi Tao was sent to jail for ten years for engaging in pro-democracy efforts deemed subversive after Yahoo turned over information about his online activities requested by Chinese authorities.

Yesterday, Jerry Yang (pictured), the chief executive, and Michael J. Callahan, the general counsel defended the firm’s role in the jailing but ran into criticism from the panel who accused them of complicity with an oppressive Communist regime.

"While technologically and financially you are giants, morally you are pygmies," said House foreign affairs committee chair Tom Lantos, a California Democrat.

Illegal provision

The committee is investigating statements Mr. Callahan made at a Congressional hearing in February 2006 where he said that Yahoo had no information about the nature of the Chinese government’s investigation of Mr. Shi when the company turned over information about him in 2004.

Mr. Callahan has since acknowledged that Yahoo officials had received a subpoena-like document that referred to suspected “illegal provision of state secrets” — a common charge against political dissidents.

Last week Mr. Callahan issued a statement saying that he had learned the details of the document months after his testimony in February 2006 and that he regretted not alerting the committee to it once he knew about it.

Commitment

Chief executive Jerry Yang said his firm had always been open with Congress and that it was "fully committed to protecting human rights."

But Callahan reiterated that Yahoo employees in China had little choice but to comply with the government’s demands.

“I cannot ask our local employees to resist lawful demands and put their own freedom at risk, even if, in my personal view, the local laws are overbroad,” Mr. Callahan said.

Both executives apologized to the committee and to Shi's family and said Yahoo was doing what it could to help get Shi released, but made no commitment of financial help.

November 7, 2007