Yahoo is following Google on the paternalistic way

[zerealbigboss]

I live in New Zealand and have, practically since their beginning, had my home page as yahoo.com. Not only I, but my whole family and most of my friends have their account there; I also have a bussiness acoount with Yahoo.

Since yesterday, when I call up yahoo.com, I am diverted to their New Zealand URL, that is marketed by them and the quasi-monopolistic broadband company Xtra. There is no possibility to opt out of this paternalistic enforcement except by means of a cookie, but as cookies are security issues, regardless of who places them, all cookies are treated as session cookies only and deleted when trhe browser shuts down, so that is not an option either.

I phoned the CEO of Yahoo New Zealand in Auckland who told me that the reason for this diversion is their economical interest in local advertisers. He also informed me that some two months ago they had introduced this diversion in Australia and that they basically did not mind whether people would end their accounts because of this tutelage, which I definitely will do.

It is regrettable that Yahoo goes the same way as Microsoft and Google: harassing the net users with their enforcements.

[jimjammer]

Does Yahoo have an option like Google to avoid the redirection for countries outside the US?
Add /ncr after google.com

[bucks4banners]

I am from outside US and to view Google US I set it to http://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en&gl=US

Probably can do the same for Yahoo.

I need to view google US usually to see who are the Adwords advertiser marketing there.

[jellybeanz]

I phoned the CEO of Yahoo New Zealand in Auckland who told me that the reason for this diversion is their economical interest in local advertisers.

Maybe it's a good thing you can actually speak to the CEO. :)

[kewlchat]

I am from outside US and to view Google US I set it to http://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en&gl=US

Probably can do the same for Yahoo.

I need to view google US usually to see who are the Adwords advertiser marketing there.

try that and also you can change your browser setting to not delete cookies if your useing internet explorer

[godsofchaos]

Simply change the home page setting. Its really not a big deal, and security of setting the home page to yahoo.com and yahoo.nl is quite negligible to anyone. O_O

[digi1]

Does Yahoo have an option like Google to avoid the redirection for countries outside the US?
Add /ncr after google.com


How did you find out about this ?

[chaitanya.seo]

It;s great that yahoo ceo personally talked up with you...

[jimjammer]

How did you find out about this ?

I remember reading about it when redirection was first introduced.
I think /ncr stands for NoCookieRedirect

[agbeyegbe]

It happened here in Canada too, they is a link on the canada homepage
to take to you too yahoo.com it might be on yours too. Check just
under the search box but before the news

[zerealbigboss]

Maybe it's a good thing you can actually speak to the CEO. :)

I have the idea that I surprised him by being put through to his office; most probably his secretary will be instructed to not do such thing any more. But I told her honestly that I had a complaint :-).

It is not possible to prevent the redirection. What I dislike is that THEY take the decision about what I can to do, contrary to my wishes. Yahoo became so big because they were different from the others; now they are in trouble a.o. because they copy the paternalism of the others and thus have no other distinguishing features any more. They right now have to fight for every client; I think that taking the chance that people walk away because of an intended revenue-improving will work out contrarily.