Google Confirms Chinese Censorship Claims

UnanimousCoward writes "A spokesperson has responded to the 'censorship' questions in this article: '"Google has decided that in order to create the best possible search experience for our mainland China users we will not include sites whose content is not accessible," company spokeswoman Debbie Frost said Friday.'" Our original article ran on Wednesday.

Comments

Re:Not necessarily

[Beautyon]

It's ridiculous only if you believe that the American way of life is the only way, and the right way for people to live and organize themselvs.

The Chinese on the other hand believe a different thing. They belive, to take from your quote, that a governments legitimacy has nothing to do with democratic elections "conducted in an uncensored arena of free expression".

On whatever planet that may theoretically take place.

Now, I accept that they believe that, live by that, and good luck to them. As long as they dont try and make me live by their rules, they can live in whatever way they like.

Some people on the other hand, are incapable of understanding that the ways of other countries are, whilst being unsuitable for us, perfectly legitimate ways of self organization. They tend to be people who have never travelled extensively, perhaps speak only one language, and are generally insular and culturally unexposed. In other words, its not their fault that they are limited in their understanding of other cultures, and its not their fault that they come to these wrongheaded conclusions.

It doesnt make them less wrong I'm afraid.

And as for "nothing" happening to you if you post "subversive" text on Slashdot, think back to the Kuro5hin poster who got a visit from the FBI simply because he posted on that site.

Or this guy who got a visit just for speaking in a gym.

What they should do

[speederaser]

Google has a serious publicity problem. This whole episode has sullied the name of Google and should bring doubt into anyone's mind that Google is not censoring their results, no matter where they live.

I mean, think about it -- Google has shown themselves to be quite willing to censor results to accommodate the aims of a repressive dictatorship. How much easier would it be for Google to censor results in the U.S.? Wouldn't it be quite a bit less "evil" to censor results at the prompting of the Dept of Homeland Security for the noble purpose of "fighting terrorism'? (And if you think they're not already, how would you know? The PATRIOT Act prohibits Google from saying anything!)

To my mind, a cornerstone of Google's "don't be evil" motto has to be "unfettered access to the internet". That's the only way it can work, otherwise Google can't be fully trusted. I think in cases where Google has to compromise their values just to do business, they should rebadge themselves as something else and reserve the name Google for unfettered access to the internet, when they are truly able to "not be evil".

Rebadging can be done in such a way that it still serves the purpose of letting repressed people know they're not getting the original, but in a subtle way. For example, Chinese users keying in google.com could be redirected to giggle.com where they would see

GIGGLE
Powered by Google

And that's all Google has to do. Move censorship one step away from the name Google and send a subtle but clear message: "The real deal is Google and we aren't allowed to take you there. Here's a substitute approved by your government". Refuse to associate the name Google with censorship.

As a user and an investor, I hope Google is listening. This is not just important for the Chinese, this is important for anyone who needs trustworthy search results.

Speederaser

Re:Not necessarily

[DigiShaman]

Ok, your a fucking morron. Chinese = bad government. You see, the people are fearful of it because they may get dragged into a corner and shot.

Please, take your thoughts of insanity and leave slashdot. Or, but a bullet to your head. THe world is better off without you.

Ya, I've had it up to my limits with morrons!!!