Kosher Beijing

In November, I wrote an article and refers to a journey that ICMediaDirect.com the VP of Business Development, Diana Lee, took to China. She has participated in Shanghai's inaugural ad: tech conference. It was a great trip and links our company with China are stronger because of it. Like most Western companies doing business in China, we're just doing business and there are no extenuating circumstances. Google, the search engine giant can not say the same.

China is an economic giant in the heating power of the Internet, but this has not been a perfect marriage so far. centralized and decentralized nature of the Internet does mesh well. Beijing feels compelled to exercise tight control over all flow of information they can to stifle potential dissent in Chinese society. A government letter of 2000 clearly indicates that Internet providers must limit the information that could "harm the dignity and interests of the state." And in the centralized, communist waters entered the week Google Last, they presented their Chinese search engine localized, Google.cn.

Google.com is now available to Internet users in China, but the search engine launched Google.cn in order to remain competitive in the market, China has some major search engines with their own, specifically Baidu . But there is a price to pay. In an attitude totally inconsistent with the stated objective Google should censor sites that the Chinese government is in danger. Just a few of these sites include deemed not kosher: Bacardi.com, date.com, collegehumor.com, jackdaniels.com, news.bbc.co.uk, pressfreedom.com, and queernet.org teenpregnancy.org. Thus, in addition to sites deemed critical for Beijing websites on sex, alcohol and controversial issues are not allowed on Google.cn, as well.

Now consider a sample of IPO filing from Google that reads: "Do not be evil. We firmly believe that in the long run we are better served - as shareholders and in all other ways - by a company doing good things for the world even if we give up some gains in the short term. This is an important aspect of our culture and is broadly shared within the company. "

Google foray into China is directly at odds with their exuberant introductory statement. Maybe they took the idealism a bit too seriously, but it's forgivable. To date, no shares of Google have really amounted to anything more than laying eggs on their faces. But Google is not only a former Hawking products. These are historic moments for the Mountain View, CA group, and next year presence in China totals more than a censored search engine for Playboy.com communist government there.

If nothing else, the two or three years we have shown the inherent strength of the search engine - and no more than Google. And I think the unintended consequence of the controversial position of Google in China has increased awareness of how much influence the results of research can be. Comparisons of "Tiananmen" research is showing this.

Several blogs are showing split-screen stills of keyword results using Tiananmen "on Google Images. Google.cn after picture shows a beautiful park, while Google.com shows a full screen of the infamous images of a solitary protester in front of the tanks threat. Just an example of censorship in real time is broadcast live on the Internet, presented by Google. It advertises unintended and terrible for Google. Curiously timed, too, considering the defense of Google just here in the United States against the government intrusion into their affairs.

From a business perspective Google's position is good and quite understandable. They knew they were in a song or two for caving to Beijing.