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Google To End Google.cn Redirect
shmG writes "Google Inc. has announced a 'new approach' in China after the government said the company could no longer automatically redirect users to the unfiltered Hong Kong site. This gives Baidu Inc., which already has a greater than 60% share in Internet search in China, a chance to expand. It has announced new plans to hire US engineers to enhance its technical skills and propel its growth globally."
Update: 06/29 18:27 GMT by S : Changed the headline to more accurately reflect what Google is doing. They're ending the redirect and applying for a license renewal, so it's still in question whether they'll actually go dark in China. However, they say they're also looking for ways to continue allowing uncensored search, such as putting a high-profile link to their Hong Kong site on the google.cn landing page.
We have therefore been looking at possible alternatives, and instead of automatically redirecting all our users, we have started taking a small percentage of them to a landing page on Google.cn that links to Google.com.hk—where users can conduct web search or continue to use Google.cn services like music and text translate, which we can provide locally without filtering. This approach ensures we stay true to our commitment not to censor our results on Google.cn and gives users access to all of our services from one page.
Over the next few days we’ll end the redirect entirely, taking all our Chinese users to our new landing page—and today we re-submitted our ICP license renewal application based on this approach.
It's kind of funny, the "landing page" is a false image of a search box and when you click anywhere on the page, you go to Google Hong Kong. How this is okay as opposed to a redirect, I'll never know ... and once that page starts eventually taking users to unfiltered results of Tiananmen Square, I think the Chinese Government will take a few more steps to stop it.
Of course it looks like ibtimes has a policy that only allows them to link to more ibtimes sites instead of -- you know -- the original source of all their quotes.
My work here is dung.
I can't wait!
Fuckface Leiberman and his internet kill switch. Government control of citizen access to information. You can bet your bottom yuan that when China starts producing serious IP they'll crack down on p2p. Their weak enforcement of copyright is simply Chinese mercantilism. Why send money overseas to pay for stuff that can be copied for free? Preserve capital at home. Joe Biden would love to have a Great Firewall of America.
Very disgusted with both sides of the issue. If we're not getting screwed by military-industrial complex republicans on one side it's entertainment-industrial complex democrats on the other. I find it encouraging that the one singular point far-left progressives and frothing tea-baggers can agree on is that the politicians and lobbyists trying to kill net neutrality are fucking over the American people. There is agreement on that point at least. Representation at the federal level is limited to the special interests with bucks for lobbying and campaign contributions. Left-wing or right-wing, it doesn't matter which one you are. You don't have money, you can go get fucked. Too big to fail, too little to concerned with.
Kwisatz Haderach
Sell the spice to CHOAM
This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
Might it be a tad dangerous for any one group to control something so vastly powerful and important as the media, something that all by itself can start wars, end wars, sway elections, and tell people what they should fear?
Might it be a tad dangerous that the media can influence people that severely? Who do you blame...the media for its influence, or the people that allow themselves to be influenced by it?
Living With a Nerd
That's what this reads like, pro-China PR. Bad round-eye company kicked out, good Chinese company on to world domination!
The only thing missing is the agitprop poster of the worker leading the masses to victory.
"Changing strategy"?!
The impression I got from this article is that Google has pretty much, 100% caved in to the Chinese government. They want their business license renewed (this coming Wednesday), so Google will be going back to business as usual and censoring google.cn.
Way to grab publicity and then not follow through at all, Google.
Baidu: Image search Naked
I see a bunch of naked men on Baidu! So, that's what the whole pornography ban in China was all about! They're trying to assault our heterosexual christian american values!
Clearly, Baidu needs to be banned in China as well! Go get them, great leader!
The whole model of Baidu it is not going to work outside of China, restricted searches, you can pay to rank higher, it doesnt work in other languages, and the search engine sucks. You get a lot of false positives in the related searches in between the Great Firewall of China and Baidu. I think not using google and using baidu cripples more the chinese. There are a lot of information usefull in site like blogspot.com that are blocked by default, or even youtube is quite handy for tutorials and howtos.
Who do you blame...the media for its influence, or the people that allow themselves to be influenced by it?
The people.
And I think it's even worse when folks discount news from one source but believe another source - all because that particular source has a narrative that agrees with their belief system. No, it's not just Fox News viewers. Folks on the "other side" can be just as culpable.
And from the handful of Chinese people I know (sample are those who emigrated to the US so there's my grain of salt), they're pretty skeptical of the media and they've given me the impression that the average Chinese citizen is too.
RIP America
July 4, 1776 - September 11, 2001
This doesn't give Baidu anything. All it does is screw China. This nonsense smacks of the DPRK's "win" in the World Cup.
If the media were not influential it would be replaced by media that was.
Those that sit atop the Kingdom got there because they best understood the current game and won it.
Humans are social creatures, and ultimately a pack animal. I'm beginning to believe that the natural order for humans is in fact some sort of feudal system that has leaders ruling the pack. How the leaders are chosen varies over time but ultimately the Leaders rule the pack.
I say this in the context that it may be inherent in humans to be influenced (by those in [power|control|influential-position]). /.ers fall into some variation of this category.
Further, the more you are a free-thinker, anti/non-social or otherwise a non-conformist the less you are likely to accept this natural order and not only cry out against the injustice of the powerful but wonder why the rest of the people around you don't. And I suspect that most
If you think imaginary property and real property are the same, when does your house become public domain?
How on earth is this considered "going dark"? Google will no longer automatically redirect to .hk, but they're doing that specifically so they stay up in China. What's happening is the opposite of going dark.
Good thing we have multiple outlets then. If you don't like what DNC-NBC is saying you can switch to FOX. If you don't like FOX News you can switch to CNN or PBS. If you don't like them, there's conservative or progressive talk radio. Or the internet which has websites for everything from Communism to Anarchism
Now is better than some imagined future where government hands-out money (controls) the media.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
Honest question:
Does it really make sense to try and hire US software folks? Is local talent that bad that Baidu looks for US folks or folks outside the US?
The US has good software folks, but is it really that much better than places like Brazil, etc., where Baidu could probably get a bigger bang for their buck if global growth is a priority?
import system.cool.Sig;
I wonder if Baidu will have search results for Tienanmen Square or any other bullshit China is up to? If not, they will lose. :-)
sri
All we need now is a law that makes blatant lying illegal and we'll be set.
To really rub China the wrong way Google should move all "Chinese" operations to Taiwan with a statement that google.cn will still be available in the one bastion of free Chinese, Taiwan.
Tisha Hayes
Maybe you should try developing for the iPhone.
Hey, I'd love to. Could you send me an computer that I can install the development package on? And an iPhone to test? And waive the $100/year App Store fee?
Maybe you should try searching on Bing.
I toyed around with it when it first launched, never used it really though. Wasn't satisfied with it evidently I wasn't alone.
But most of all, maybe you should stop patting yourself on the back for being so closed minded and get outside for a little while
I am so utterly confused. To date, I do not believe I have purchased a product from Google. I have a Motorola DROID phone with their OS on it, I have used their search engine, I probably have given them ad revenue but I cannot think of a single instance where I've paid Google directly from my pocketbook. There is something closed minded about appreciating this fact?
What was it that I exhibited that was closed minded?
....without your Google Android phone.
Last Sunday I was canoeing on the Potomac (Brunswick to Point of Rocks) without my DROID. Seriously. Did not want to lose that. Really enjoyed it and heavily recommend it.
Here's to wishful thinking...
Thanks for the wishes but I don't really need them. I apologize if my post sounded like I was patting myself on the back. Had Google caved to the Chinese government you probably would have gotten a healthy dosage of me cursing the above facts and lamenting that their just as big of a pile of shit as Apple or Microsoft. At least Google shows a little bit of promise.
It disturbs me that you were moderated Insightful.
My work here is dung.
Those all sound American. I'm guessing you are, too. Don't you ever read news from sources from outside your own country? Just asking, not trolling..
To be, or not to be: isn't that quite logical, Slashdot Beta?
Buy into Baidu, of course. And the ad severs are still working..
For justice, we must go to Don Corleone
"It has announced new plans to hire US engineers to enhance its technical skills and propel its growth globally."
I thought the US was comprised of a bunch of fat, lazy, stupid people and behind the curve on technology. Now we're able to enhance the technical skills of foreigners? They must be referring to the foreign students here for a technology education because US citizens are far too stupid. No, I got it! We elected Obama so now we must be smart! /sarcasm off
Don't kid yourself. It's the size of the regexp AND how you use it that counts.
sounds like you should be browsing with Baidu not Google on principle
I hate that fucking slider bullshit.
> This gives Baidu Inc., which already has a greater than 60% share in Internet search in
> China, a chance to expand. It has announced new plans to hire US engineers to enhance
> its technical skills and propel its growth globally.
China's big, but not bigger than everyone else. Everyone else could:
1. Don't use Baidu
2. Ostracize the companies helping Baidu/China and any "US engineers" they hire, as well as any companies that hire said engineers in the future, or deal with them on a business level.
3. Make all this loudly known to everybody. Someday China's regime will crack, and we need to pre-emptively disable the future apologists' lament that "thems was the times back then."
(-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
Should all the countries outside China block Baidu crawlers? Since I don't read Mandarin or Cantonese and the number of users from China to my sight are tiny, it really will not harm China, but if we all do it, perhaps they will learn to be more open?
BTW, I'm not a fan of Google, but I am a fan of open markets that allow give AND take. China is "taking" and not giving.
Not only are they all american, they *all* have an agenda one way or the other.
I know this might incredible, but how about a news source that just provides...news?
People replying to my sig annoy me. That's why I change it all the time.
if someone wants unfiltered results, why cant he directly go to .hk site?! when google.cn is redirecting user to .hk site (which is uncensored and accessable) then i really dont get the logic of the Chinese! Can some one explain?!! can you hear ...err read... this text behind those great firewalls?!! answer me!!!
Since when is blame exclusive?
Further, the more you are a free-thinker, anti/non-social or otherwise a non-conformist the less you are likely to accept this natural order and not only cry out against the injustice of the powerful but wonder why the rest of the people around you don't. And I suspect that most /.ers fall into some variation of this category.
Bah, rebels are just the leaders of the future. All cries for rebellion are cries for power, so where does that leave the non-conformist/Leader divide?
What he can't kill, he has sex on. Trent.
Fine. Everyone go to http://www.baidu.com and search things like:
tiananmen square massacre pictures
It [Baidu] has announced new plans to hire US engineers to enhance its technical skills and propel its growth globally."
First of all, stating that they will hire Americans certainly doesn't help the image of China being superior. Secondly, what American would want to work for a Chinese company whose job is to censor search results?
Jews own and run 96% of all USA media companies.
When the truth is sinisterly dismissed as flamebait, the intelligent man is obviously skeptical of your declining system.
Perhaps the Chinese government possess some element of this intelligence.