The fact is our own government also requires ISPs and telcos to release user information in criminal investigations, as recent PBS Frontline segment on domestic spying demonstrates:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/homefront/

The NSA had 15-20 listening stations all over US – that’s just AT&T alone! We haven’t even touched stuff like National Security Letter, or the FBI’s project “Carnivor”, “Magic Lantern”.

So why is it okay for us to do it, but not other people? Is hypocrisy part of this “moral pygmie” characterization?

If Yahoo! is a “moral pygmie” for responding to criminal investigation required by law, then what is Blackwater USA?

http://blogs.sun.com/syw/entry/a_capitol_hill_theater

1. No excuse for my language. I write in a stuffy and formal manner all day long, so this is my chance to relax. My writing style will not change. If it somehow lessens my credibility, so be it.

2. Higher standard — I think Yahoo’s actions are more important than focusing on the results. You can call me heartless, but if Yahoo is doing the same thing as everyone else, and yet this one time it results in a negative outcome, punishing Yahoo for that does not seem fair to me. That’s using a higher standard because we are uncomfortable with a specific outcome. I don’t like it.

As to violations of U.S. law, including misrepresentation, that’s another story. Punish accordingly.

3. Hypocrisy – very good comment. You are right that what the U.S. government does has no bearing on whether Yahoo did something wrong or not. I agree.

Let me clarify. If Yahoo did something wrong under the law, they should be punished. However, I find the actions of individual members of Congress quite hypocritical, and therefore distasteful. Engaging in moral condemnation of actions that you otherwise support when done by your own government is wrong.

BTW, doesn’t matter where you live. All opinions are valid. I hope I do not come across as some sort of China snob just because I live here — not my intent.

Anyway, I don’t view this as Yahoo being held to a higher standard. It’s simply that Yahoo’s actions resulted in the imprisonment of a journalist.

And what does hypocrisy have to do with anything? It doesn’t. IF the U.S. is doing something wrong vis-a-vis the Patriot Act, then appropriate disciplinary actions should be taken. But this doesn’t excuse the imprisonment of a journalist. Your logic is severely flawed.

(BTW, I live in China, too.)