Saturday - August 12, 2000

Yahoo Battle Can Effect Webmasters

Yahoo is in a court battle with the French-based human right groups suing the company for not blocking French users from accessing auctions selling Nazi memorabilia. The battle is a key one for all Websites in determining if any country can enforce there own laws on sites run in other countries. Here's an excerpt from a CNN article on the case:

"A French court has ruled that more technical information is needed before ruling whether to fine Internet giant Yahoo! over online sales of Nazi memorabilia...

At issue is Yahoo!'s auction site, where Nazi medallions, swastika-emblazoned battle flags and other Third Reich paraphernalia can be bought and sold.

The case centers on freedom of speech, which is caught between some nations' laws and the Internet's borderless, hard-to-regulate nature..."

Click here for the full story.

Value America Declares Bankruptcy
Value America has filed for bankruptcy, fired 185 employees, and has ceased its ecommerce store. Value America is the latest in a string of ecommerce sites to go belly up. Late last year problems started becoming apparent at Value America when it laid off half of its employees and saw the departure of its two cofounders.

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