Google hunts Yahoo ties, dumps human rights motions

Google is interested in pursuing closer ties with Yahoo, according to the former company's founders. Sergey Brin and Eric Schmidt made the observation before Google's annual general meeting on Thursday, in response to questions on whether they would move beyond a two-week trial of Google advertising on Yahoo's network. "We have been talking to Yahoo and we are very excited to be working with them," says Brin. He calls the trial program "successful," and suggests that it is a "good basis to talk to Yahoo some more."

The move follows speculation in the Wall Street Journal, which hinted that Google's only interest in the trial was in preventing chief rival Microsoft from acquiring Yahoo. The acquisition bid fell apart on May 9th, leaving Yahoo free of any imminent danger of losing its independence.

The AGM meeting itself saw the defeat of two shareholder motions in favor of human rights. The first would have had the company create a special committee on the subject, while a second would have had Google increase opposition to censorship requests from countries such as China. The company has received considerable flak for quickly bowing to such requests, mainly by pulling YouTube videos that offend the religious or political dogma of leadership. [via BBC News]

Filed under: industry
Other story tags: Microsoft, Google, Yahoo, China