By It will be interesting to see if Google actually follows through on its threat to leave the Chinese market or not:
Chinese media reports say U.S. Internet giant Google will close its business in China after complaints of censorship and cyber-attacks. The reports say the announcement could come as early as next week, although Google is refusing all comment.
In January, Google unexpectedly said that it is prepared to pull out of China because of cyber-attacks and concerns over government censorship.
On Friday, the China Business News, one of the country’s top economic papers, quoted an unnamed official with a Google-affiliated agency as saying he has learned that Google will leave China next month.
Google executives had no comment on the reports. But Courtney Hohne, a spokeswoman for the company, last week said the company remained firm in its resolve not to filter its content, which is required by Chinese law. “We have been very clear that we are no longer going to self-censor our search results,” she said. “We are indeed in active discussions with the Chinese government, but we are not going to engage in a running commentary about those conversations.” [Chosun Ilbo]
7:06 pm on March 20th, 2010 1
Let the Corporate Wars begin!
Google may pull out of China physically… but that doesn't mean they will pull out of the business of supplying uncensored and unfiltered information in Chinese.
The upcoming World War is going to have a lot of interesting fronts.
7:38 pm on March 20th, 2010 2
As if the Chinese would really care.
8:12 pm on March 20th, 2010 3
"As if the Chinese would really care."
Well, Tom, the whole issue started because the Chinese DO care… but, apart from temporary irritants like hacking, there isn't anything they can do about it.
Google can easily continue supplying uncensored information to the Chinese population.
A physical presence is not necessary for Google (and, in the next decade, it will be less necessary for a lot of people doing a lot of things… from surgery to war).
Google can easily continue to run its Chinese search engine from outside China.
Via proxy, Chinese netizens can bypass any national firewall and many multinational companies will still advertise. No gain for China, no loss for Google.
History will look back at this as one of the first major battles in a long, quiet struggle for power and control that shifted from government to corporations… just like government took it from religion not too many centuries ago.
These are exciting time you live in.
9:37 pm on March 20th, 2010 4
The current U.S. administration appreciates the value of free and open information systems. They just lifted restrictions on that technology to Iran and Cuba http://government.zdnet.com/?p=7515 Remember the impact Twitter had on the Iranian election?
While it's amazing to me that even South Korea is back peddling on open Internet and causing Google to leave there also, I believe the openness tide will creep into every crevasse and overcome all resistance. Eventually, it will even penetrate North Korea and help bring about its liberation.
9:38 pm on March 20th, 2010 5
The current U.S. administration appreciates the value of free and open information systems. They just lifted restrictions on that technology to Iran and Cuba http://government.zdnet.com/?p=7515 Remember the impact Twitter had on the Iranian election?
While it's amazing to me that even South Korea is back peddling on open Internet and causing Google to leave there also, I believe the openness tide will creep into every crevasse and overcome all resistance. Eventually, it will even penetrate North Korea and help bring about its liberation.
9:41 pm on March 20th, 2010 6
Sorry for the double posting. Browser hung up.
11:08 pm on March 20th, 2010 7
Chickenhead is right. Google suspects that the hacking was facilitated by its own employees and judged its Chinese operations as a security risk. As Chickenhead noted, Chinese netizens routinely use proxies to get around TGW. Increasingly they are also using Twitter to spread subversive content like the infamous quote from the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman about there being no dissidents in China.
11:39 pm on March 20th, 2010 8
If you are in Korea using a Korean ISP, you will increasingly see this warning banner.
It is a warning from the Korea Communications Standards Commission and the Korean National Police telling you that you have tried to access a prohibited site. Even if you are not trying to go to a prohibited site, if the web page links to advertisement on a prohibited site, the warning will show up in the ad space.
3:14 am on March 21st, 2010 9
TGW = GFW
6:53 am on March 21st, 2010 10
Bing houg ning eing chang wang ding daing doang. Jing jang maoung eing mung oiung asdlg asemng ebing quoaeioug!!!
Again, I pray every night that God wipe the chinese person off the face and erase their enitre history and then bulldoze the entire country into the ocean.
8:21 am on March 21st, 2010 11
What the? Was I drunk? Or were the Chinese censoring what I wrote????????
Again, I pray every night that God wipes every chinese person off the face of the earth, erases their history and then a huge land slide causes the country to fall into the ocean.
Go to every Chinese website you can and write 民主，自由 These two words are censored by the chinese government for use, even over the internet. The use of either of these words by a chinese person will result in their kidneys, heart, lungs, eyes, and other organs to fall out shortly after they have been inprisoned.
You might ask what the words are simply they are democracy and freedom
8:24 am on March 21st, 2010 12
If you plan on arguing with me, I will gladly stand down when you show me a picture of yourself in Tienemen Square holding a 48" X 48" poster board with 民主，自由 written on it.
9:02 am on March 21st, 2010 13
Wish for the extermination of a people because you disapprove of the political system they are ruled under? That sounds very Al-Qaeda of you.
Some are now claiming America is becoming more socialist. I hope for our sake you not allowed access to any weapons of mass destruction.
9:22 am on March 21st, 2010 14
Count me in as well. That way we don't have to hear JohnT the Chinese ranting and raving.
11:11 am on March 21st, 2010 15
The use of either of these words by a chinese person will result in their kidneys, heart, lungs, eyes, and other organs to fall out shortly after they have been inprisoned.
Um… wouldn't you consider that a good thing?
3:53 pm on March 21st, 2010 16
Heres your sign.
民主，自由
11:45 pm on March 21st, 2010 17
That's in interesting way to look at it. I wouldn't be surprised if it's exactly how this will play out.
1:03 am on March 28th, 2010 18
1, I am a weapon of mass destruction
2, Al Qaeda is a motivation based on religous ideologies
3, I hate the American political system
4, I not only disapprove of the Chinese political system, I hate every chinese person there ever was, is, or will be. That is my personal opinion based on my life experiences. China has not contributed anything to mankind and they never will. The entire country and people are lying, cheating, worthless vermin of the earth. I can only imagine the thing chinese would be best used for is concrete filler.
4:56 am on March 28th, 2010 19
Did a gay Chinese prostitute give you crabs?