Google 'working on censored search engine' for China

[mrthuvi]

 

Quote

Google has been condemned for supporting state censorship following reports that it is working on a mobile search app that would block certain search terms and allow it to reenter the Chinese market.

The California-based internet company has engineers designing search software that would leave out content blacklisted by the Chinese government, according to a New York Times report citing two unnamed people familiar with the matter. Such blacklisting would allow the company to reverse its move out of the country eight years ago due to censorship and hacking.

The Intercept news website first reported the story, saying the Chinese search app was being tailored for the Google-backed Android operating system for mobile devices. The service was said to have been shown to Chinese officials.

Reported by the guardian.

Baidu share price has fallen since the news broke out. I guess google wants all those sweet sweet Chinese Yuan after all.

[RotoCoreOne]

Money, money never changes... except hands.

I don't really know how to feel about this. One could sort of make a slippery slope argument that this could be used on us? Other than that... it's China, nothing new here if Google wants to extend it's market.

[Tog Driver]

What could possibly go wrong?

[Cookybiscuit]

23 minutes ago, RotoCoreOne said:

One could sort of make a slippery slope argument that this could be used on us?

It already is.

[Doobeedoo]

Censore should just be dead. 

[ScratchCat]

Redacted

[Peter S]

I think this will create a huge impact not just for China, but for everyone for this will control the media and free speech with its censorship. I'm hoping that these government censorship in China will not create any serious results in terms of manipulation of social media and internet searches to suppress freedom of speech.

[mrthuvi]

1 hour ago, Maria Phene said:

I'm hoping that these government censorship in China will not create any serious results in terms of manipulation of social media and internet searches to suppress freedom of speech.

Microsoft's bing censored the search for China already. Apple's appstore search is also censored. Apple also placed user data servers and encryption keys in a state-owned company per China's request. Judging from Facebook's repeated attempts to expand in China and creating dialogue with government officials, I'm fairly sure they are eager to comply with any government requests as well.

 

Google used to be the only one fighting back.

[DildorTheDecent]

Wonder if the employees will stop and think "no this is wrong" just like they did with Project Maven (even though it ended because the contract was coming to an end apparently).

[Dredgy]

In China now, lack of access to basic google search is a killer (same with translate and maps). Chinese alternatives aren’t great for English speakers so you’re stuck with bing.

 

I’d take a censured Google search any day - just for searching basic things such as where I can be deodorant. I can live without YouTube or whatever.

 

(And yes, I do use a VPN, it costs money)

 

 

[Granular]

Google not bowing to Chinese censorship was the one thing that made me think maybe it had some genuine moral fibre in it.

[pipnina]

A U.S. company (That country with the 1st amendment, along with the history of "fighting for freedom" baked into its blood) creating a product that bows to government surveillance and censorship for a foreign power is just outrageous.

 

Your government should reign them in, provided they aren't also planning to use it...