Should Google take heat over China deal?
FT.com / World - US congressman takes Google to task
Google seems to be getting it from both sides these days, as it agrees to restrict search results for China while it simultaneously denying the US government search request info in order to track down criminals.
While this has been spun as anti-American, I think Google is doing the right thing. In the US case, the government is on a fishing expedition and wishes voluntary cooperation and help in doing so. Other web search engines have complied with this request. Google has chosen to fight it. Good for them. Make them get a court order.
As for China, I don't see where they have a hell of a lot of choice. The are selling a product here, and while some might argue that restricting search results at the demand of the Chinese Government is effectuating censorship, the Chinese control the market within their borders. We may not like it, but the only way to get into that market is to play ball by their rules. I truly believe that it is a temporary situation, as the Chinese, despite their hopes of controlling the internet, cannot possibly hope to do it for long. It's a losing battle. The very empowerment the net brings will simply undermine the Chinese efforts, and Google won't have to worry about it for long. Hell, we censor here, but the net is the greatest tool for the distribution of illegal material ever invented.
Result: Google gets in ahead of the market, and acts as an instrument of the natural subversiveness of the internet.
Google seems to be getting it from both sides these days, as it agrees to restrict search results for China while it simultaneously denying the US government search request info in order to track down criminals.
While this has been spun as anti-American, I think Google is doing the right thing. In the US case, the government is on a fishing expedition and wishes voluntary cooperation and help in doing so. Other web search engines have complied with this request. Google has chosen to fight it. Good for them. Make them get a court order.
As for China, I don't see where they have a hell of a lot of choice. The are selling a product here, and while some might argue that restricting search results at the demand of the Chinese Government is effectuating censorship, the Chinese control the market within their borders. We may not like it, but the only way to get into that market is to play ball by their rules. I truly believe that it is a temporary situation, as the Chinese, despite their hopes of controlling the internet, cannot possibly hope to do it for long. It's a losing battle. The very empowerment the net brings will simply undermine the Chinese efforts, and Google won't have to worry about it for long. Hell, we censor here, but the net is the greatest tool for the distribution of illegal material ever invented.
Result: Google gets in ahead of the market, and acts as an instrument of the natural subversiveness of the internet.
posted by Ed C:\> at 11:33 PM
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