Google to stop censoring Chinese search results, will "review the feasibility" of Chinese business operations
By Nilay Patel 
posted January 12th 2010 7:15PM
posted January 12th 2010 7:15PM
Google's been taking bad press about Chinese search result filtering for years, and now it looks like the company simply fed up: it's going to stop filtering Google.cn and it may pull of out the country entirely. The move comes on the heels of coordinated attacks on Gmail, which Google says were aimed at accessing the accounts of prominent human rights activists -- and Google also says that it's not the only company suffering such attacks in China. Only two accounts are said to have been hacked, but many more have apparently been accessed by third parties using malware or phishing schemes to obtain passwords. Google also says that these attacks have forced it to reconsider "the feasibility of our business operations in China," and that it's going to take the next few weeks to talk to the Chinese government and figure out a way to operate an unfiltered search engine in a legal way, and if it can't be done, it'll close Google.cn and potentially leave China completely. A gutsy move, to be sure -- but seriously, Google, what took you so long?[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
@szkane
Cnternet!^^
A tragedy of the nation.
@richardllz
though most Chinese people don't care since they use different search engines anyway ... even the Chinese people here (Germany) mostly use baidu.com
Baidu=Google, have you ever seen this site it looks just like google. The only reason that baidu is doing better then google is that people like to stick with something that works, because probally the intreperation chinees of baidu might be better.
anyway, I think this is just a move, and there are no definite actions to be taken about leaving, to test how far they can go. There just going to stop cencoring, as a counter play to the 'alleaged' chinees hackers. I say let the games begin. I expect the chinees goverment will take down googles opperations when the blocking has stopt.
Kudos to Google for ( finally should of understood earlier) i love china and all that ,But they got to free up more not stop there opening up on the verge of becoming the next great 1st world country ,and reverse back to horribleness,chinese people are very kind hearted people ,but some ppl in there goverment really need to wake up
When I first read this I thought, "Good for Google!" Personally, I'm disgusted by the Chinese governments repressive, bully-like tactics.
The more I think about it, however, the more I disagree with Google. This doesn't seem fair to the everyday Chinese person who doesn't give a damn about their government and just wants access to information like rest of us (albeit censored access).
I think if there's going to be any sort of Democracy in China, it will happen because the Chinese are exposed to the West and some our ideals. Cutting of their people to spite their government just doesn't seem right to me.
So does it mean that Google will stop filtering search results in other countries as well, like in US and Europe?
google should learn that strategies can't be applied without respecting the geo/political/biz surroundings - pulling out of the chinese market may be good for now - for the upcoming yrs, however, it could be a regrettable decision -
we're talking about a 1.xx billion nation here - quite a huge market ;)
why not just change things and face the "chinese reality?" -
it takes more than just being kinda gutsy just to stop operations in a potential market like china -
yea, I'm not sure about the long-term effectivity of this gutsy approach ;)
(even tho if their decision is "right" - given the attacks and restrictions...)
@RCAQ
Chinese censorship is an old reality, with no sign of change in the forseeable future.
And Google was trying the "chinese reality" for some time now - even exporting it to the west, censoring several things in the free world searches as well. And now they are reconsidering it - at least the former part.
@Verythrax
well, I agree w/ you - we'll see what happens next...
the "funny part" of the whole story - according to nytimes - "Google’s Threat Echoed Everywhere, Except China"
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/14/world/asia/14beijing.html?hp
Good news, shows that at least some Western companies don't support the Communist regime. Good on ya Google!
I'm impressed. If they really mean what they say, and follow through with it (a shutdown if uncensored searches are not allowed), then they're probably one of the first *big* companies to stand up against the Chinese authorities...
LOL. Google spys their users all the time but gets pissed once they get spied.
Maybe we should launch an hacker attack on Google too so that Google will leave the "western" market?
Google doesn't give a damn about human right in China. The reason why they are pulling out is just because they can't exploit people's privacy (all controlled by govt) for $$$ as they did to the rest of the world.
@Pork
uh, duh...
what you think Google should operate for free as an NPO?
or maybe charge you per search string?
Why does you tone talk as-if Google has done something bad. Their privacy policy has always been transparent, and the fact of the matter is 99% of the population is willing to give up a little privacy for convenience so Google can make a buck and keep operating. (because Google REALLY cares about you individually *that's sarcasim*).
If you really think that highly of yourself, that Google monitors you specifically by name, and really cares that much about you. First stop using Google, then move to some cave in the forest, and then look up at the stars and realize what an insignificant speck you really are.
Please, any bad stuff you said here about the Chinese government will only provoke them even more, for an average user in mainland China, I can't access Youtube, Twitter, and recently not even imdb for god sake. Using the internet in China is like living in Korea, I am tired of using a proxy to go around it everytime I try to check my mail.
I could imagine scores of chinese government officials working around the clock posting comments against google in all blogs and forums and engadget !!! well that is communism explained for you !
Google is a large enough corporation that they need to consider the formation of their own Cyber Warfare Division. There are no laws against it, and a solid offense makes for good defense.
The Chinese government declared war on a sovereign corporate entity.
@Dinochicken only sovereign nations can declare war (legally). Google isn't a nation...yet.
Way to go google!
Now I'm def. gonna buy the nexus :)
Google needs to stop barking and just bite.
Its just gonna be replaced by another chinese KIRF like Qoogle or Coogle
it's time to leave, google! you have to actually. as the best technical search engine, do your own job. that's it. Goodbye, Google China.
See more about the review from Chief product designer of Baidu Sun Yunfeng, please check: http://allenchan.com.cn/2010/01/baidu-sunyunfeng-google-sucks/
im taking the ball and going home
Google's defiance is all about saving face. Really, Google China hasn't been much of success since the day one. This is because Google's business model does not fit the Chinese market. Google's management style doesn't fit the Chinese culture either. After so many years, Google has yet became a Chinese company or a Chinese search engine. Just look at the disappointing brand name "Gu Ge." The exit strategy? Publicly defiance over a solid and tangible reason.
This maybe the best move of Google China yet.
Wow at least Google finally woke up and stopped letting regimes dictate their business model just so they could penetrate the Asian market.
They should just uncensor Google.cn for several months before they pull out, and watch the public shock from seeing what news they have been sheltered from. Google should stop being humble and acknowledge that they are the supreme search engine. So, why not say a **** you by opening search?
Won't pulling out of China be massive loss in investment for Google? As it is, it was finding it hard to compete against Baidou, which is more successful in the Chinese landscape; pulling out completely would allow Baidou free rein in expanding and monopolozing the Chinese search engine market, just like Google has done across the world.
Wouldn't the pullout be tantamount to Google accepting defeat in China, and effectively relinquishing control over the Chinese market? Is that really business savvy?
Shouldn't Google instead accept these breaches occasionally, deal with them as well as they can, and look to expand control over the market, from whence they can then attempt to exert influence over the Chinese government?
It's a pretty smart way to withdraw from China because of its financial failure due
1. losing their Chinese CEO (Kaifu Lee)
2. Baidu.com's 70% market share
Has anyone that has commented so far checked where their laptop, pc or mobile has been manufactured?
The Chinese are here to stay and their so-called enlightened capitalism is the new standard for global politics.
I am a chinese
I want freedom
I want democracy
We will achive these someday
We will join the Free World
It's my belief
We need google
No, Google! What you need to do is play nice, become synonymous with the countries infrastructure, and then pull out all at once, collapsing their entire society! Kinda like what you have going on here...
who is the problem maker? china or china's hacker?
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