Google adds it's name to my list...

[Conveyor Belt]

I infrequently blog about one of my main passions: The revolution of China. I am of the opinion that China is on the cusp of a democratic revolution if the people can have a chance to organize, or realize how much power they hold.

ANYWHO, Now Google, one of my most FAVORITE search engines has agreed to go along with China's censorship:

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Web search leader Google Inc. said on Tuesday that it was introducing a new service for China that seeks to avoid a confrontation with the government by restricting access to services to which users contribute such as e-mail, chat rooms and blogs.

The new Chinese service at http://www.google.cn will offer a self-censored version of Google's popular search system that restricts access to thousands of terms and Web sites.

Hot topics might include issues like independence for Taiwan or Tibet or outlawed spiritual group Falun Gong.

I cannot believe this. First Microsoft chooses to go along with China and silence one voice for democracy, and now Google helps aid in China's repression of it's citizens expression. Uninstalling my Google searchbar and barring the site from my browser will do little but sate my anger. One day, the citizens of China will rise. Soon... soon...

[wilebill]

Microsoft caved to these demands several months ago. However, I'm a little surprised that google did the same, seeing as how MS and google are pretty much mortal enemies.

[wilebill]

Speaking of China, I read an editorial the other day about how China is pulling a million people a month out of poverty. The writer thought this was great and how we should appreciate China's efforts.

The only thing is that at that rate, it will only take 1000 months to get the current population of China out of poverty. At the end of that 1000 months, there'll probably be another half billion more people. :smt102

[Conveyor Belt]

Speaking of China, I read an editorial the other day about how China is pulling a million people a month out of poverty. The writer thought this was great and how we should appreciate China's efforts.

The only thing is that at that rate, it will only take 1000 months to get the current population of China out of poverty. At the end of that 1000 months, there'll probably be another half billion more people. :smt102

This is one of the reasons I believe China will undergo revolution soon. They are having an exponetially increasingly number of "demonstrations" that fuel from actions of the government officials or government police. The gap in living standards and the increase in diverse living standards in a central area breeds contempt and revolution. It's happened before, and it will happen again.

[geezerjoe]

While Google espouses that it is very "progressive" in it's general corporate mindset, we can see through this example that if you want the $$$ you have to bend to the will of the customer.

Google, if you REALLY believe in what you say, the $$$ shouldn't mean crap.

Greed 1 : Integrity 0

[tempatv]

the way i see it, they are helping the chinese users of google avoid governmental punishment. if i offered a service like google does, i'd want my users to be able to use the service without fear of getting caught reading the wrong thing. i dont think it's greedy, i just think its business 101 - meet the needs of your customer.

[aaron]

the way i see it, they are helping the chinese users of google avoid governmental punishment. if i offered a service like google does, i'd want my users to be able to use the service without fear of getting caught reading the wrong thing. i dont think it's greedy, i just think its business 101 - meet the needs of your customer.

That's true, but they are supporting communism by caving into their demands. And they are doing it to get a jumpstart on Chinese business. That's where investor money is going, and that's where everyone see huge profit potential. I for one will be glad if they undergo a revolution. Then they will have to have a SUV and 3 bedroom house just like everyone else. Bye Bye minimum wage, hello pension plan.

[tempatv]

google isnt supporting communism, they are just providing a customized service for customers who live in a communist country. if google is considered a communist supporter, then should every other company that has ties in china also be called the same?

[Conveyor Belt]

google isnt supporting communism, they are just providing a customized service for customers who live in a communist country. if google is considered a communist supporter, then should every other company that has ties in china also be called the same?

In some ways, it IS the same. I have tried to keep away from Chinese products, but it's like trying to walk and not hit air. I just feel a bit different when it comes to the realm of ideas. It's a company enabling China to block information it's citizens may use to form ideas. That's a bit different, IMO, than a company using China to produce it's product with political prisoners or underage workers.

Which is worse? Principally, I abhor censorship on most levels. I think I have the right to censor what my child watches on TV, but I don't want the government "protecting" me from any ideas I may develop after reading or watching something. I'd have no problem with our Gov't outsourcing our prison labor to a corporation. I have a slight problem with underage workers, but honestly, they'd be working in a factory or on a farm. They wouldn't be in school. We used to do that in America when we were a young country. Our forefathers worked 16hr days, 6 days a week, and didn't complain. Children did the child labor then. I've got a problem if you have to chain the "worker" to their station.

I can see that you can see their not supporting communism. It's not financially supporting. It's "enabling" the country to more easily control the ideas of their citizens.