The business strategy of Yahoo Inc. after the legal case 'Yahoo vs. LICRA'

Abstract

Yahoo Inc., the second largest global search engine was summoned to court in May 2000 by the French association LICRA (International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism). It was accused of selling Nazi memorabilia such as a can of Zyklon B gas used in death camps, at a price of $ 50, via its search engine. For LICRA and the Union of Jewish Students of France (UEJF), the availability of these multiple objects on the web violated Article R.645-1 of the French Penal Code.A long process thus began and continued for years.

This highlights the question of territoriality of the French laws and its enforcement with respect to a global website. Which law should be applied? Can you screen all the information circulating on the internet? Many questions arise in the situation. Years after the trial began, we can already draw the conclusion that remedial steps have been taken.

In the first part, we will see a brief summary of the legal steps taken until November 2001, and in the second part we will study the financial situation of the company several years ago, to understand the current (2001) situation. Finally, in the third part, we will establish a business strategy which is in line with the decision issued by the court in November 2001.

May 2000

On May 15, 2000, Yahoo! Rated Inc was referred to the Tribunal de Grande Instance of Paris.
By a request by the Union of Jewish Students in France, Yahoo was expected to appear in court on May 15, 2000 at 15:00 hrs.
The accusations against it were:
• Sale and promotion of products that trivialize the Nazis by Yahoo Inc...using the online auction site.
• Hosting the spread of anti-Semitism by publishing two books "Mein Kampf" and "Protocol of the Elders of Zion" By Yahoo! Inc...
• The promotion of Holocaust denial by assisted navigation by Directory Service Inc. Yahoo!. and Yahoo France. This ideology is condemned in France.