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Google bows down to China censorship
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| EvilTree |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4647398.stm
| quote: |
Google move 'black day' for China
Google's launch of a new, self-censored search engine in China is a "black day" for freedom of expression, a leading international media watchdog says.
Reporters Without Borders joined others in asking how Google could stand up for US users' freedoms while controlling what Chinese users can search for.
Its previous search engine for China's fast-growing market was subject to government blocks.
The new site - Google.cn - censors itself to satisfy Beijing.
Chinese results toe the line
Google argues it would be more damaging to pull out of China altogether and says that in contrast to other search engines, it will inform users when access is restricted on certain search terms.
It is believed that sensitive topics are likely to include independence for Taiwan and the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, as well as human rights and democracy in China generally.
The Chinese government keeps a tight rein on the internet and what users can access through its so-called "Great Firewall".
The BBC news site, for example, is inaccessible, while a search on Google.cn for the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement directs users to a string of condemnatory articles.
Google rivals such as Yahoo and Microsoft already use censorship in China.
'No surprise'
The company, whose motto is "Don't do evil", launched its new Chinese service less than a week after resisting efforts by the US Department of Justice to make it disclose data on what people were searching for.
Baidu.com's offices in Beijing
Google has lost ground to Beijing-based web search company Baidu
"Google's statements about respecting online privacy are the height of hypocrisy in view of its strategy in China," said Reporters Without Borders (RWB) in a press release on Wednesday.
The result of censorship, it argued, was that the internet in China was "becoming more and more isolated from the outside world" and freedom of expression was shrinking.
According to the Free Tibet Campaign, Google's motto was "in smithereens".
"Through its collusion, Google is endorsing censorship and repression," spokeswoman Alison Reynolds said.
Human Rights Watch told the BBC that if all the search engines acted together, they would be in a strong position to argue for free access.
No blogs
Google hopes its new address will make the search engine easier to use and quicker.
Its e-mail, chat room and blogging services will not be available because of concerns the government could demand users' personal information.
The company argues it can play a more useful role in China by participating than by boycotting it, despite the compromises involved.
The number of internet search users in China is predicted to increase from about 100 million currently to 187 million in two years' time.
A survey last August revealed Google was losing market share to Beijing-based rival Baidu.com.
Last year, Yahoo was accused of supplying data to China that was used as evidence to jail a Chinese journalist for 10 years. |
Says no to US, but says yes to China.
Pure economics and hypocrisy
If you want to make money, buy google stocks. |
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| Jayx1 |
| our cable companies bow to canadian censorship laws... whats the diff? |
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| EvilTree |
| quote: | Originally posted by Jayx1
our cable companies bow to canadian censorship laws... whats the diff? |
That's a bit of apples and oranges. |
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| Orko |
| quote: | Originally posted by EvilTree
That's a bit of apples and oranges. |
Exactly what I was thlnking.
This is a pure cash grab by Google. This way they can grab a hold of the China market, which we all know is going to be huge.
I think its funny they are giving the finger to the USA, cause they know they can get away with it. Thcy already have such power. |
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| Jayx1 |
| quote: | Originally posted by EvilTree
That's a bit of apples and oranges. |
Is it?
The government here decides which channels we can watch. Same as china. |
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| Orko |
| quote: | Originally posted by Jayx1
Is it?
The government here decides which channels we can watch. Same as china. |
What type of content is the Canadian government cencoring, compared to the Chinese government? |
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| Jayx1 |
| quote: | Originally posted by Orko
What type of content is the Canadian government cencoring, compared to the Chinese government? |
Howard stern for one. Not to mention all the variety channels from the US.
And how about the media blackouts on certain news like the gomery inquiry? wasnt that interesting when we had to go to foreign news sources to find out how corrupt our government was?
The canadian government also monitors and censors which books we can and cannot have.
http://www.canadianfreespeech.com/petitions/customs/ |
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| Wurm |
Talk about unreasonable comparisons.
You have been free to criticize the government on the web. |
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| Jayx1 |
| quote: | Originally posted by Wurm
Talk about unreasonable comparisons.
You have been free to criticize the government on the web. |
If i had posted the details about the gomery inquiry on the web i would have gone to jail
yes we arent as bad as china of course... but we definately have huge shades of the same ways and mindsets that they do.
Lets take care of our free speech problem at home first before we start critisizing other countries. |
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| Jem_hadar |
| quote: | Originally posted by Jayx1
And how about the media blackouts on certain news like the gomery inquiry? wasnt that interesting when we had to go to foreign news sources to find out how corrupt our government was?
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it was interesting indeed. |
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| St_Andrew |
 to google for this. However, MS and Yahoo have been doing this for some time now, so guess it was going to happen sooner or later... |
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| tw1tch |
| quote: | | Reporters Without Borders joined others in asking how Google could stand up for US users' freedoms while controlling what Chinese users can search for. |
| quote: | Google rivals such as Yahoo and Microsoft already use censorship in China.
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How can you give Google over their choice. They're in business to make money, not make a human rights stance. The Chinese Government has strict laws, abide by them or don't do business it's that simple. They all do it to stay in business in China. |
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