Google, Facebook IDs Will Soon Be Blocked On Yahoo

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Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO), in a hostile move, may restrict users’ access to many of its online services including Fantasy Sports and photo-sharing site Flickr through their Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) or Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) accounts, says a report from Reuters. According to a Yahoo spokeswoman, the new changes would be introduced gradually, and users will have to register for a Yahoo ID to access any of the related services.

As per the statement issued by the company, the new changes would enhance the user experience and “will allow us to offer the best personalized experience to everyone.”

Yahoo Sports Tourney Pick’Em now requires unique ID

Among the many services from Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO) requiring the new sign-in process, the most noticeable and the first one is Yahoo Sports Tourney Pick’Em, which focuses on the NCAA college basketball tournament starting later this month. The new changes were introduced on Monday for Tourney Pick’Em while users are still able to access few of the other Yahoo services through Facebook and Google.

According to the spokeswoman, the sign-in buttons for Facebook and Google will be removed soon from all the Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO) services. However, no certain timeframe has been provided.

Major changes from Mayer

The new changes are fresh measures introduced by Chief Executive Marissa Mayer to attract more users towards its web products, and boost the company’s revenues. Mayer, who took control in 2012, has introduced new versions of many of its key products, including Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO) Mail and Yahoo Finance, and launched Yahoo News Digest. Previously, Yahoo came out with an initiative to garbage inactive Yahoo user IDs, allowing new users to claim the email IDs that have been inactive for more than a year. Last year, the internet firm acquired 30 companies, came up with many new apps, launched new “magazines” for food and tech, and also made several high profile hires including anchor Katie Couric.

By restricting access through Facebook and Google, Mayer, a former Google executive, has almost reversed an earlier strategy adopted by CEO Carol Bartz, in 2010 and 2011.

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