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Why Google in China Makes Sense

Posted by Zonk on from the begin-arguing-in-three-two-one dept.

ctd writes "The BBC is carrying an interesting article about the positive outcomes from Google's censorship of its China site." From the article: "Millions of people may now be turning away from Google in disgust, but I've just reinstated them as the default search for my Firefox toolbar, because I think it should be supported for its brave decision. Even if the primary motivation for going into China is that it makes commercial sense for the company - as indeed it must do, since US law is quite harsh on boards that take actions which could damage shareholder value - it also makes political sense. "

6 of 362 comments (clear)

  1. it's still a good thing... by ChrisGilliard · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Even though they are blocking out a lot of porn and anti chinese govt. sites, the Chinese people will get to see all the articles on democracy and many other things that will educate the citizens. Thus the good outweighs the bad by a long shot. In time, the Chinese citizens will demand more freedoms, but this is a big step in the right direction in my opinion.

    --
    No Sigs!
  2. Re:MONEY MONEY MONEY!!!! by Secrity · · Score: 3, Interesting

    In the United States shareholder value is legally paramount over any other concern. Corporate officers can be liable for monetary losses if the corporation willfully does something that does not maximize shareholder value.

  3. Re:Filtering by Rhoon · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I searched for democracy on google.cn and the first article was from wikipedia. Now I had babelfish translate the word democracy into traditional chinese and you get this interesting little tid-bit back.

    According to the local law laws and regulations and the policy, the part searches the result not to demonstrate.

    --
    "If all the world's a stage, I want to operate the trap door." - Paul Beatty
  4. The Business Judgment Rule protects a board by EaglesNest · · Score: 5, Interesting
    The stub on theis article is WRONG. The "Business Judgment Rule" protects any decision that a corporation's board makes, no matter how silly it seems. In this case, Google's hypothetical decision to stay out of China would be protected. Nothing in U.S. law is forcing Google into China.

    The "Business Judgment Rule" protects any decision that a corporation's board makes as long as they [1] deliberate with knowledge about the decision (i.e., they must be informed); and [2] don't have any conflicts of interest (i.e., sign a contract with the Board's president's son-in-law).

    [Furthermore, the Board didn't necessary approve or disapprove of this decision. It might have just been management. They can pretty much do anything they want. When "concerned shareholders" such their own corporation, they usually sue the Board rather than only management.]

  5. 1989 Tiananmen Square Protests by Magnifico · · Score: 5, Interesting

    In Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China, between April 15 and June 4, 1989 Tiananmen Square was a site of student protests. The students were protesting communist party/government corruption and economic instability. It was violently suppressed by the government.

    I think the difference between an image search google.com and google.cn speak for itself:

  6. Contradictory? by Quixote · · Score: 3, Interesting
    From Google's "Ten Things" page:
    Placement in search results is never sold to anyone.

    So how can Google explain the different ordering of results for Google China? Hasn't it "sold" the placement of results to the Chinese Government??