Google In China

[Chinahand]

I always found it odd that Google, a company which claims that its motto was "Do no Evil", was happy to cosy up with the censors running the Great Firewall of China.

 

Well it looks like they've had enough - especially after what looks like the Chinese Intelligence services went and deliberately hacked the gmail accounts of a whole load of Human Rights activists.

 

Here's the New York Times take on it, and this is from a specialist on Chinese law who shows that while Google did cooperate in some very repressive practices they have far less dirty hands than the likes of Microsoft and Yahoo which actively censored and passed onto the Chinese Authorites information held on servers outside China entirely separate from their Chinese operations.

 

Unfortunately I am doubtful much will come of it - China has grown local businesses which are not only quite happy to maintain the Great Firewall, but have also exported it to Saudi, North Korea and other obsessive regimes. For many the issue isn't how China will change due to the influence of the Internet, but how the Internet will change due to the influence of China. With more Chinese users than the US its a very brave move to abandon a market, and it is unlikely many will follow Google's lead - more likely others will rush in - happy to do the censor's bidding and then sell on that expertise to other's who are willing to censor and control information for their own ends.

[Alias]

It is brave of Google to give up the market (if they will?) which earnt them a reported $600m in revenue last year.

 

You do have to question the viability of 'business in China', when the government are eagerly willing to subsidise local companies that can ignore all forms of IP and exploit labour easily. And if that doesn't work, expect undue paperwork and harassment for your business (ask Rio Tinto). Trade with China only works one way..