Yahoo! was founded on the principle that promoting access to information can fundamentally improve people’s lives and enhance their relationship with the world around them.

Yahoo! Human Rights Fund

We believe in the Internet’s transformative power and we are deeply committed to supporting freedom of expression and privacy around the world. Yahoo! recently established a human rights fund to provide humanitarian and legal support to political dissidents who have been imprisoned for expressing their views online, as well as their families.

- Fund and Settlement Press Release
- Fund Announcement on Harry Wu’s Laogai Research Foundation web site

Engaging With Government To Release Dissidents

Yahoo! has been and will continue working to secure the release of certain political dissidents through ongoing discussions with high-ranking U.S. and Chinese officials, congressional leaders, human rights groups, and the State Department. In February, Jerry Yang also sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urging the Bush Administration to use its diplomatic influence to actively pursue the release of Chinese dissidents imprisoned for exercising their right of free expression.

- Congressional Hearing Blog post by Jerry Yang on November 6, 2007
- Letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice - Full copy of the letter to Condoleezza Rice
- Blog post by Michael Samway regarding the letter

Global Code of Conduct

American companies doing business in countries that restrict privacy and free expression confront numerous challenges, and Yahoo! is dedicated to helping find solutions to them. We have been working closely with industry partners, academics, human rights organizations, socially responsible investors, and others on a global code of conduct to guide technology companies operating in challenging markets.

We and others have much work to do, and we believe these are important first steps in ensuring our actions match our values around the world.

- Blog post by Michael Samway regarding the Global Code of Conduct, the Yahoo! Human Rights Fund and other initiatives.

Global Values Fellowships

Yahoo! has established international fellowships at Stanford and Georgetown Universities to promote the pursuits of journalists from press-restrictive countries and scholars exploring the link between global values and the Internet, and communication technologies.

- Blog post by Michael Samway regarding fellowships.
- Blog post - Jerry blog regarding first Yahoo! fellow at Georgetown University
- Press release announcing Stanford fellowship
- Press release on First Yahoo! Fellow At Georgetown Discusses Research on Internet and Politics