AFI BLOG: Media and Technology

The Wall Street Journal

Yahoo Inc. Thursday said it plans to open its site to Web services from other developers and create other features familiar to users of social-networking services.

The moves, which will begin affecting what consumers can do on Yahoo later this year, have largely been outlined by Yahoo since last year. A core part of the Sunnyvale, Calif., company’s strategy, they follow in the wake of similar “open platform” efforts by Facebook Inc. and other rivals. The announcement comes as Yahoo has been trying to show that an unsolicited Microsoft Corp. acquisition offer, valued at $30.62 a Yahoo share as of Thursday’s market close, undervalues the company.

One feature Yahoo is planning will provide a single profile page where a user can manage information about himself/herself and who he or she is friends with — similar to what’s available to users of other social-networking sites.

Yahoo separately announced a three-year partnership to carry technology news, reviews and other tech content from CNET Networks Inc. on Yahoo. Under the arrangement, the two companies will also be able to sell ads on each other’s sites.