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January 26, 2006
Google Plays China
The recent controversy about Google restricting its search results in China makes me think that people should get a grip. Google is a business, not a non-profit working on human rights issues, nor a government entity. It's purpose is to make money within the rule of law. Google turned down U.S. government requests for information on searches in the U.S. because it felt the government action was outside the law. This is not the case with China. Yes, it would be great if Google could transact business in the same way it does here, however we are not talking about torture or killing, we are talking about a very limited amount of information. Google wants to be a part of the huge Chinese market, as do many other American businesses. They act within Chinese laws. I think most people think China will get more democratic over time. Google wants to be a player in the market as that happens. They certainly don't want to be an outsider looking at other companies making huge amounts of money, controlling the market, while they wait until the Chinese government allows a specified list of search terms.
We should not forget a journey starts with one small step.
Posted by Chip Spear at January 26, 2006 3:07 PM