Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Hot on Facebook
Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds $26,000 Inside Seller tries to get half the cash back, fails »

Yahoo Settles With Chinese Journalists

After turning over data, it will pay 2 men jailed by Beijing

By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff

Posted Nov 13, 2007 5:25 PM CST
Email

(Newser) – One week after being labeled moral “pygmies” in a House hearing, Yahoo settled a lawsuit  brought by two Chinese journalists jailed when the Internet giant turned over their personal data to Beijing. The two men, now serving 10-year sentences on charges of leaking state secrets, sued Yahoo for providing the Chinese government with their emails and addresses. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

As part of the deal, Yahoo—which initially said it was merely complying with Chinese law—pledged to create a humanitarian relief fund for other political dissidents. The House hearing tipped the scales, “causing too much embarrassment” for Yahoo, said a spokesman for the human rights group that filed the suit. China has jailed more than 200 Internet users under similar circumstances, he said.

In this Nov. 6, 2007 file photo, Yahoo Chief Executive Jerry Yang, right, accompanied by General Counsel Michael Callahan, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Yahoo Inc. on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007 settled a lawsuit with two Chinese journalists who were jailed after the...
In this Nov. 6, 2007 file photo, Yahoo Chief Executive Jerry Yang, right, accompanied by General Counsel Michael Callahan, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington before the House Foreign Affairs Committee....   (Associated Press)
In this Nov. 6, 2007 file photo, Yahoo Chief Executive Jerry Yang, right, huddles with General Counsel Michael Callahan, on Capitol Hill in Washington where they testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Yahoo Inc. on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007 settled a lawsuit with two Chinese journalists who were jailed...
In this Nov. 6, 2007 file photo, Yahoo Chief Executive Jerry Yang, right, huddles with General Counsel Michael Callahan, on Capitol Hill in Washington where they testified before the House Foreign Affairs...   (Associated Press)
This is an undated file photo, released Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2005 by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), of Shi Tao, a freelance journalist for Internet publications and an editor for the Chinese business newspaper Dangdai Shang Bao. Yahoo Inc. on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007 settled a lawsuit with Shi...
This is an undated file photo, released Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2005 by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), of Shi Tao, a freelance journalist for Internet publications and an editor for the Chinese...   (Associated Press)
Exterior view of Yahoo! offices in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Oct. 15, 2007. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
Exterior view of Yahoo! offices in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Oct. 15, 2007. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)   (Associated Press)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Be the first to comment on this story.

Yahoo's China investments pay off
Forbes

One of the journalists jailed for 'incitement to subvert state power'
Wired

Blogger: 'It goes without saying that Yahoo admitted no culpability."
Committee to Protect Bloggers

 
China • Yahoo • House of Representatives • humanitarian • lawsuit • jail • journalist • settlement

More Newser Stories

In China, Yahoo Names Names

FDA to Rule on BPA Ban by March

Number of Jailed Journalists Hits 14-Year High

More Than 10K Settle Suits Over Ground Zero Dust

House Votes to Sanction China Over Currency
NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne