I understand that users of the internet in repressive countries have found many ways to bypass the governments’ controls, can access sites like CNN or WaPo by routing thru remote access sites in Singapore and other open locations.

Yep, so let’s not even worry about trying to do what is right. Yes, he’s “pissed off” and “outraged”, but a media David like Yahoo is powerless to change anything, so might as well go with the flow.

The Neville Chamberlain of the internet.

*departs airplane, waving document that advertises his stupidity *
“I believe it is peace for our time”

It is possible to believe in freedom and tactically decide that engagement is the best way to change this unique situation. Sure it’s slower than a successful confrontation (and can look like enabling) but who’s going to guarantee that a confrontation would be successful?

I’m not saying that Semel shouldn’t be questioned, asked to think through what Yahoo does to enable repression and what they should do behind the scenes to keep giving freedom a push and a nudge. This is a good post that makes a great point.

But there’s a strong case to be made for engagement and small steps. As the Tao says “When two great forces oppose each other, the victory will go to the one that knows how to yield.”

I totally agree Semel is beyond stupid on this issue, but Yahoo is far from the worst on this issue. Google and Microsoft are just as bad and they have the same company line. As always happens with these types of issues, it comes down to the bottom line. Imagine how difficult it would have been for the Soviet Union to come apart if American corporations had become their great enablers as they have with China? What it will take is courage, and stockholders don’t like courage. They like to see their shareholder wealth maximized. Period.

The thing is, I think all these companies could ban together and tell China to fuck off and little would happen to them. China can threaten all she wants, but it’s those corporate dollars flowing into the country that gives her the money to remain communist long after others have gone the way of the dodo.

Hypocritical note: I am an avid Yahoo user and no plans to change that, communist enabler or no.

Also, did you know your site meter stats link (lower right) clicks through to someone else’s site stats? (At least it appears to…)