January 25, 2006
From Reuters:
"In order to operate from China, we have removed some content from the search results available on Google.cn in response to local law, regulation or policy," Andrew McLaughlin, Google's senior policy counsel, said in a statement.John Palfrey, an Internet censorship investigator, estimated that tens of thousands of search terms will be blocked to Chinese Web users. However, according to Rebecca MacKinnon of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society, if the average Chinese user is adequately informed of the censorship, "That is defiantly a significant step toward transparency and honesty with the users." I think MacKinnon is justifying Google censorship in China by indicating it's a "foot in the door.""While removing search results is inconsistent with Google's mission, providing no information (or a heavily degraded user experience that amounts to no information) is more inconsistent with our mission."
Google, known for its "Don't do evil" mantra, is developing its China approach as it seeks to strike a balance between the freedom of information it champions and the censorship demanded by Beijing, which controls access to China's 111 million Internet users.
One question that hasn't been answered thus far is whether Google will be providing information to the government about the users who search for censored information. Google has refused to comply with a similar request from the U.S. government.
Notably, Google will not offer email or blogging services until it can figure out how to strike a "balance between user interests and local conditions." Whatever that means.
Companion post at Interested-Participant.
Posted by: Mike Pechar at
03:18 AM
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Is censorship evil? It is my opinion that China is shooting itself in the foot by creating a huge sandbox for it's citizens to play in. The Chinese powers in charge want the best of both worlds. They want absolute control and they want an open and expanding market. Well, that is a tough balance.
China is a massive market. Companies cannot avoid it really. I have heard all kinds of estimates, but they all point to the fact that China will have immense economic influence from now on, regardless of their politics.
Kelly
Posted by: Kelly at January 25, 2006 07:41 AM (Dv2l6)
Up until this point, we were supposed to accept that all the bogus, conservative bashing, search result that Google digs up is a result of “other people manipulating†the search engine. This clearly shows that Google’s administration has other ulterior motives and that the “manipulation†isn’t a random occurrence, but something more deliberate.
What’s some good alternatives for search engines?
Posted by: JohnMc at January 25, 2006 07:45 AM (y+I+a)
Posted by: goesh at January 25, 2006 09:35 AM (1w6Ud)
Posted by: Oyster at January 25, 2006 09:58 AM (osKlJ)
Posted by: David at January 25, 2006 10:04 AM (BhVb3)
Wah..wah..wah....blah...blah...blah...I've been hearing this Chinese crap for 5 years now. The new superpower on the planet...the great hope of Europe, Africa, Asia, and the rest of the World. A counterbalance to America, a way to show those damn Yankees that they cannot control the World.
Well, I heard this same shit about Japan and the Asian Tigers(Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, etc.) in the 1980's. The US was finished, the balance of power in the World was shifting to Japan, and the good times in the US were over.
You know what, we(the US of A) are still standing. Standing after all the small minds of the World want us knocked down, without realizing how stupid that is.
Did China rescue people and send emergency aid to the Indian Ocean nations hit by the tsunami? Who was the one nation in the World that got aid there quickly, efficiently, and had the helicopters, expertise, and will to save people's lives. Was it China? Hell, no. And I want to give credit to Australia and NZ for responding to the tsunami, but could they have responded if the disaster had been 7000 miles away? Where was the UN, the French, the British, the Belgiums, hell, the whole EU for that matter?
My point is this, one had better hope and pray that the US doesn't go away, because I wonder how many people in the World would die if we had to depend on China to feed the hungry of the World?
Posted by: jesusland joe at January 25, 2006 10:26 AM (rUyw4)
Many people who have not read Sun-Tzu are afraid that China will attack us as soon as they feel capable, but the Chinese have read Sun-Tzu, and indeed tend to live their lives by his philosophy. The Chinese have never been needlessly aggressive, and Sun-Tzu says that to win without fighting is best, whereas to win after a long and costly war is least good. Why would China, now our largest trading partner, want to start a war with us? Wars of conquest destroy economies and cause generations of misery and suffering, both for the conquered and the conquerers, and the Chinese are too smart for that. Besides, they know they can buy and sell our leaders like pigs in the market, after all, they already bought one President of the US, and nobody cried foul, so why should they want war with us?
What's good for America is good for everyone else, and all the Chinese want is respect from other nations and prosperity, and if we give them one, and become their partner in the other, there should be no problems. The biggest stumbling block to full normalization of relations right now is Taiwan, and once a few more bitter old Communists have died out, that will be sorted out peacefully, and we can move forward to a more stable, peaceful world.
Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at January 25, 2006 11:16 AM (0yYS2)
Goggle refuses the US Govt because its good PR with no risks - and there's money to be made.
Goggle is a whore.
Would like a discussion on Goggle's US refusal reference the porn thing - wish however it be expanded to include their direct and indirect dealings and relationships with ALL ADVERTISERS AND PROMOTERS! see it as a customer service issue - Goggle is a whore and in bed with a new form of spammin' for dollars.
Posted by: hondo at January 25, 2006 12:35 PM (3aakz)
Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at January 25, 2006 12:59 PM (0yYS2)
www.answers.com
Posted by: Steve Sharon at January 25, 2006 02:39 PM (qoUk5)
Posted by: Lonevoice at January 25, 2006 02:45 PM (a8/75)
Posted by: Mike at January 25, 2006 03:04 PM (zeZwP)
And the ones who get squeezed and hosed? - the middle classes of course! The wealth and power crowd are secure - the poor and naive lib/left (non-affluent ones of course) are lulled into happiness - and the middle classes are handicapped and screwed.
Its an interesting system - it does provide the greatest good for the greatest number of people - but it is annoying.
Posted by: hondo at January 25, 2006 03:21 PM (3aakz)
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