Google Gets Religion

If one spends just a modicum of time online, one is well acquainted with Google. Search engine giant, owner of  YouTube,etc. It has to be  called ubiquitous and would probably like to be known as somewhat altruistic. After all, its motto is “don’t be evil.”

So, one has to wonder why, way back in 2006, it struck a deal with China censor search results there. To obtain its Chinese license , Google agreed to omit content that the Chinese government found to be objectionable.  Google execs struggled with their decision since it seemed (actually did) go against their motto. Dollars and cents anyone?

But now, some 4 years later there may be  a change of heart. Google says it will stop censoring its search results in China and may leave the country entirely. Why, it has discovered human rights activists are being tricked by hackers into opening the email accounts . Currently Google has about 30% of the search market in China versus about 60% for local rival Baidu.

One Clothilde Le Coz, who is the Washington director for Reporters Without Borders, has long  criticized Google for its behavior in China, but is not quite patting them on the back. The Chinese government, of course has no plans to change its demands on internet companies. Nor did it accept responsibility for the hacker attacks.

What is also interesting is that Google briefed the White  House on its actions. Press Secretary Robert Gibbs would provide no details. I seem to remember that the head honchos at Google were, and probably still are, big Obama supporters.

Might this action impair Chinese-American relations? Does our government have its fingerprints on this action? Or, is Google being used by the Administration in some way? Who knows. Sure is fun to contemplate though.

If none of the preceding is the case, why in the world is Google threatening to pull out now, of all times. Just cannot believe the Chinese government has been playing nice and, all of a sudden, precipitated the hacking.