google censors itself in china

[baskey]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4645596.stm

but it won't help sort out kiddy porn in the west... hmm

[Plotloss]

They are modifying their business model to gain market exposure.

Dont see how that relates to kiddie porn?

Its simple, china say do business like this or leave. Google think, hmmn 1bn commoditised consumers...let me think...we'll censor.

[baskey]

i don't care that they are censoring things in china - it makes sense, as you say it gets them 1bn more people to advertise to.

but i think it's shocking that this week they think it's ok to censor to make more money but not ok to provide information to governments trying to sort out kiddy porn magnates last week...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4631924.stm

>> Edited by baskey on Wednesday 25th January 13:27

[up-the-dubs]

Plotloss said:

They are modifying their business model to gain market exposure. Dont see how that relates to kiddie porn? Its simple, china say do business like this or leave. Google think, hmmn 1bn commoditised consumers...let me think...we'll censor.

[ge2]

Probably a stupid question, but how do they go about doing the censoring?

Is it a case of block everything and just let approved stuff through or initially allow everything and block 'unsuitable' sites as and when they're discovered?

And surely there's a million and and one ways to for a nerdy, determined person to get around it?

[madbadger]

10p says anything with this on is included:

[Einion Yrth]

I see a business model in supplying anonymous proxy services to Chinese citizens.

[Plotloss]

ge2 said:

Probably a stupid question, but how do they go about doing the censoring? Is it a case of block everything and just let approved stuff through or initially allow everything and block 'unsuitable' sites as and when they're discovered? And surely there's a million and and one ways to for a nerdy, determined person to get around it?

They just disable the search terms. If you enter a banned term your IP will probably be logged and you'll get no results.

Its success surely depends on Googles market depth as and when it evolves. If it gets to European levels then it will effectively control the chinese search market and the terms therein.

[telecat]

baskey said:

i don't care that they are censoring things in china - it makes sense, as you say it gets them 1bn more people to advertise to. but i think it's shocking that this week they think it's ok to censor to make more money but not ok to provide information to governments trying to sort out kiddy porn magnates last week... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4631924.stm >> Edited by baskey on Wednesday 25th January 13:27

Didn't read the article did you?? The information requested had nothing to do with "kiddie porn". They wanted a weeks worth of data relating to searches for "research" purposes.

[pdV6]

In a way, Google's proposed policy of telling the user when their search has been restricted or simply banned may actually be useful in spreading dissent?

[baskey]

telecat said:

baskey said: i don't care that they are censoring things in china - it makes sense, as you say it gets them 1bn more people to advertise to. but i think it's shocking that this week they think it's ok to censor to make more money but not ok to provide information to governments trying to sort out kiddy porn magnates last week... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4631924.stm >> Edited by baskey on Wednesday 25th January 13:27 Didn't read the article did you?? The information requested had nothing to do with "kiddie porn". They wanted a weeks worth of data relating to searches for "research" purposes.

Nerr! i did (but i accept it doesn't fully support my case..!)

On the (TV) news they said that that was what the research was to do with, unfortunately (for me) it doesn't explicitly (if you'll excuse the pun) say that there. what it does do is witter on at length about infringements of civil liberties yadda yadda...

[ATG]

pdV6 said:

In a way, Google's proposed policy of telling the user when their search has been restricted or simply banned may actually be useful in spreading dissent?

Quite possibly.


I think I'm right in saying Google do something similar already in Germany as a result of German anti-Nazi legislation.