Yahoo! Denies Providing User Details to Iran
A report today claims that Yahoo! provided Iranian internet administrators with the details of 200,000 users during the election protests.
During the election protests in Iran, the country severed access to many websites and heavily filtered others. Among those affected were Google and Yahoo! and today a report on ZDNet claims that Yahoo! made a deal with Iranian internet and telecommunications authorities. The deal allegedly involved the handing over of more than 200,000 names in exchange for lifting the block on Yahoo!.
Citing a post on the Iranian Students Solidarity (Farsi) blog, ZDNet's Richard Koman says his sources indicate the information comes from a group of resisters who have infiltrated the administration and are leaking out important information.
The post goes on to say that Yahoo! sent a representative to Iran’s telecommunications ministry, to resolve the issue of limited or blocked access to the site. During the meeting, Iranian Internet authorities and telecommunications authorities supposedly asked the Yahoo! rep to hand over the details of all Iranian account holders, in exchange for removing the block/filter on Yahoo!. When the rep said compiling such a list would take practically forever, the IRGC (Islamic Republic Guardian Council) narrowed it down by asking Yahoo! to provide the details of those who have Yahoo! accounts and are publishing blogs.
The list of 200,000 email addresses provided by Yahoo! apparently goes back five years and is comprised of both active and inactive blogs/accounts.
Check out the full story here.
[UPDATE] ZDNet Editor in Chief Larry Dignan has labeled the report 'unreliable' because there is a lack of second or third sources.
Previous updates to the post include a statement from Yahoo! categorically denying that any such meeting took place (check it out below) and details from Richard Koman regarding his sources and where they got their information from. Koman says his source obtained the information from the Iranian Student Solidarity Organization, a group of 30,000 students who oppose the Iranian government and claims one of their contacts actually attended the meeting where the Yahoo official from Malaysia and IRI staff took place.
Statement from Yahoo!:
“The allegations in the story are false. Neither Yahoo! nor any Yahoo! representative has met with or communicated with any Iranian officials, and Yahoo! has not disclosed user data to the Iranian government. Yahoo! was founded on the principle that access to information and communications tools can improve people’s lives, and Yahoo! is committed to protecting and promoting freedom of expression and privacy. To learn more about our human rights efforts, please visit: http://humanrights.yahoo.com.”

Yep. And then they say Google is bad.
Yep. And then they say Google is bad.
Way to go Yahoo. Should change your name to F*&^'n OUCH!
Sure, we can say all this extra intrusion is to reduce piracy or prevent terrorism, but tomorrow when the feds are knocking on your door because you posted an anti-administration rant on your blog, don't cry foul or complain no one warned you.
And if all else fails, and people are still too stupid to be concerned about their civil liberties, just remind them that Iran blocked Twitter access during the previous election riots, and China routinely blocks YouTube, see if that doesn't jar them into action.
"Oct. 9, 9:18 am PST — Ed note from Larry Dignan: I’m ending this back and forth now. This story, which derived from a blog post in Iran, has turned into a he said-Yahoo said go-round. Yahoo has denied the charges that it has turned over names to Iran and called the allegations completely false. Short of second and third sourcing, ZDNet must consider this report unreliable."
I'm an Iranian, Living in Iran. I'm sure nobody feels how it is to be sold or something like yahoo thinks we are stupid!
And if this news is a true story it will be in the newspapers and on various real news channels so i will figure it out in a few days.
Yes NET Neutrality needs to be done.We need protaection from the various Organizations/Businesses who would like to take away our freedom.
RIAA,MPAA,Big Lame ISP's,Goverment,etc
I'm not saying the Iran story is true or false... I have no way of knowing. But given Yahoo's history, I certainly wouldn't be surprised.
like how our beloved US government/AT&T ?
and Bush signed what laws that allows them to tap anybody without a warrant ?
Dudes wake up its not like they don't give the information if homeland security asks for it and they don't even need a reason no matter how bogus.
And yes in your failing part of the world innocent people get prosecuted just like any other 3th world country.