Anti-Racism Group Sues Yahoo for Hosting Auctions of Nazi-Related Items

April 12, 2000

Anti-Racism Group Sues Yahoo for Hosting Auctions of Nazi-Related Items

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ARIS -- A French anti-racism group filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Yahoo Inc., claiming the Internet search and directory company hosts illegal auctions of Nazi-related paraphernalia.

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The International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism, known by its French initials LICRA, is suing Yahoo for having Nazi-related items on auction websites that can be accessed in France.
France has strict laws against selling or displaying anything that incites racism. Sales of such Nazi items are against the law.
"In the United States (these auctions) might not be illegal, but as soon as you cross the French border, it's absolutely illegal," said Marc Knobel, a researcher for LICRA.
A spokeswoman for Yahoo said the company does not comment on pending lawsuits. The lawsuit is due to be heard by a Paris court on May 15.
LICRA is asking Yahoo to make all such auctions inaccessible to web surfers in France and its territories like Martinique and French Guyana, Knobel said. It has asked a French judge to fine the California-based company $96,000 (100,000 euros) for each day it does not comply.
Knobel said there are currently over 1,000 Nazi-related items, such as pictures, coins and flags, available at the auction site at www.yahoo.com. That number was confirmed in a web search by The Associated Press.
On Yahoo's French website, www.yahoo.fr, no such Nazi items are for sale.
Knobel said LICRA may consider similar lawsuits in other countries where Nazi-related items are illegal.
Last September, Yahoo was commended in front of a Senate Judiciary Committee for combatting racism on the Internet by banishing more than 70 sites from its network whose hosts were hate groups.
That same Senate Judiciary Committee advocated pressuring Internet providers to prohibit violent groups.

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