Since I'm Talking About Shi Tao Anyway
I think I've referenced Shi Tao in at last two posts in the last couple of days, which gives me an excuse to report on BooYahoo's latest action:
Dear Mr. Yang,
The attached document is a list of people who have signed the petition against Yahoo! on www.booyahoo.com. Each of these people has agreed to discontinue use of Yahoo!'s services until Yahoo! adapts international privacy policies that allows for freedom of speech--wherever that speech may be occurring. The incarceration of Shi Tao served as a catalyst for this boycott....
It has already gotten noticed by Reporters Without Borders, Amnesty International, and the New York Times. Until the Boycott is lifted, this momentum will continue.
However, there is nothing I would like more than to lift the Boycott against Yahoo!. If you visit the website, you will see that I'm not a mere flame-thrower, but have taken a reasoned approach to finding a solution. Any of the following solutions would not only cause me to lift this boycott, but I believe they would also send a
signal to the industry, and place Yahoo! in the leading role once again:
1. Amend your privacy statement. Currently, it reads as follows:
• We believe it is necessary to share information in order to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal activities, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the physical safety of any person, violations of Yahoo!'s terms of use, or as otherwise required by law.
We believe that this policy is too simple for the complicated issues that face a multi-national Internet provider, and it would be better if stated as such:
• We believe it is necessary to share information in order to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal activities, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the physical safety of any person, violations of Yahoo!'s terms of use, or as otherwise required by law. Yahoo’s legal team will review each request to ensure compliance with international law, and to prevent human rights abuses.
2. Submit each request to a neutral third party who will review requests for compliance with International Law, and to prevent human rights abuses.
a. Such a group does not currently exist, but Yahoo! is in a unique position to request such a group to be formed. This might be accomplished through a special proceeding of the UN, or by non-profit group such as the International Commission of Jurists.
3. Work with other companies who are similarly involved in the world market (MSN, Google, Cisco, etc.) to set up a legal consortium that will review all legal requests to ensure compliance with International law and basic human rights....
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