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Google To Launch Censored Search In China Despite Denials (thenextweb.com)
Google intends to launch a censored version of its Search app for China sometime in the next six to nine months, according to a leaked transcript from a private employee meeting held last month. The Intercept's Ryan Gallagher today reported the company's Search engine chief, Ben Gomes, held a meeting to congratulate a room full of employees working on the platform, dubbed Project Dragonfly. From a report: According to The Intercept, Gomes talked about the launch timeline: "While we are saying it's going to be six and nine months [to launch], the world is a very dynamic place." He goes on to point out that the current political climate makes it difficult to pinpoint a definite timeline, but indicates employees should be ready to launch whenever a "window opens." These comments come in stark contrast to public statements given recently by both Gomes and Google's chief privacy officer, Kieth Enright.
Speaking to members of Congress last month, Enright tried to skirt the issue of the Dragonfly project by playing dumb. According to Wired he didn't quite deny involvement, and in fact admitted the company had explored the idea, but simply stated Google wasn't "close to launching" the censored Search engine and that he was "not clear on the contours of what is in scope or out of scope for that project." Gomes took the soft-denial a step further when he told the BBC "Right now all we've done is some exploration, but since we don't have any plans to launch something there's nothing much I can say about it."
Speaking to members of Congress last month, Enright tried to skirt the issue of the Dragonfly project by playing dumb. According to Wired he didn't quite deny involvement, and in fact admitted the company had explored the idea, but simply stated Google wasn't "close to launching" the censored Search engine and that he was "not clear on the contours of what is in scope or out of scope for that project." Gomes took the soft-denial a step further when he told the BBC "Right now all we've done is some exploration, but since we don't have any plans to launch something there's nothing much I can say about it."
You would think that having a search engine created for China, by a United States company, would be something googlers would be behind. You can not affect change in a place where you have no market penetration. Boycotting the Chinese market of over a billion people, is really just turning your back on them.
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If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding! How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?! - Pink Floyd
There's only 1 thing on their mind, even though they have plenty of it anyway: more $$$
Once Google starts up in China, it is only a matter of time before someone accuses Google of censoring US search results to please China. It will be very hard to defend against such claims, especially as China will want something in return for allowing Google in.
Google will never become more than a niche player in China, they will simply not allow it.
Bing is already there.
I bet they are sipping Champagne at Duck Duck Go. Finally, a solid reason to exist.
Reason people care is it shows google has the coding needed to selectively censor speech they claimed they weren't doing. Well they lied about it and they could and probably already censor results you see to fit the views they want. Everyone has their panties in a bunch (all the left) about Russia's interference but reality is companies like Facebook and google have done far more then Russia could ever hope to image in interfering in US election's.
When you are an American, swaying the votes of others via your Freedom of Speech is participating in the American election.
When you are a Russian, swaying the votes of anybody by any means is interfering in the American election.
You do understand the difference right?
Or at least understand why allowing foreign nationals to influence/interfere in our elections might be a very bad idea?