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Google Targeted By Anti-Censorship Movement
wormnet.org writes "An article has been posted on The Observer reporting that Google has been targeted by the group "Students For A Free Tibet" because of the internet company's relationship with the Chinese government. The article states: "... more than 50,000 letters have been sent to Google bosses in recent days protesting at the company's decision to censor searches on its google.cn website in line with Beijing's wishes. Protesters have also staged public 'break-ups' with Google at demonstrations outside many of its offices around the world.""
Google's not aiding the Chinese government here, they're undermining it.
How? By giving the population access only yo "approved" information. Any way you spin this, Google, like Cisco before it, is actively engaged in supressing the Chinese population in exchange for cold hard cash.
Censorship is more powerful in the digital age. With a company as sophisticated, experienced and effective as Google, censorship can be a frightening thing. Think bayesian filters and pagerank for "dissident" opinions and sites. Track subversives by there browsing and search history. You think Google won't do it? If there's money in it, they will.
We're not talking censorship by inept government here. We're talking industrial, high-tech censorship the likes of which has never been seen before. And all the while GOOG will go up and up. You'd best hope that Google and Cisco don't start bringing the fruits of their censorship R&D back home with them.
May the Maths Be with you!