Comments on: World Day Against Cyber Censorship http://www.p2pnet.net/story/18733 p2pnet.net - reader powered Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:11:09 -0300 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Comeoncomcast http://www.p2pnet.net/story/18733/comment-page-1#comment-969346 Comeoncomcast Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:34:47 +0000 http://www.p2pnet.net/story/18733#comment-969346 Unfilter the webz!!! Unfilter the webz!!!

]]> By: Jakykong http://www.p2pnet.net/story/18733/comment-page-1#comment-969341 Jakykong Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:32:32 +0000 http://www.p2pnet.net/story/18733#comment-969341 Well, I think that they probably do have significant problems in censored nations. If China decided to block Google because Google was an open platform, then Google would lose a significant portion of their customers. Does that mean that they don't have a choice? No, not really. But look at it this way: 1. the nations will censor, whether Google, microsoft, or anyone else helps them. 2. if Google, microsoft, or someone else complies, then they aren't blocked. 3. if Google, microsoft, or someone else does not comply, then they are blocked. 4. It is bad for business to be blocked. 5. From 2,3,4, it is necessary to comply with the countries' laws I can see why they would comply with the censorship. And I don't see that it causes any more harm than the censorship that is already in place (other than to block access to yet another possible online tool). Of course it is for business reasons, but that isn't, in and of itself, a bad thing. Does it make censorship acceptable? No, not at all. If it were up to me, I would say "To hell with china. Let them block google." because at least if that happened, the people would be made aware of their predicament. If Google "uncensored" china for a week, way shorter than the time it would take for them to setup their own search engine (or have they already?), then it might shock those unfortunate people into action. That's what the world day about cyber censorship is about, right? Well, I think that they probably do have significant problems in censored nations. If China decided to block Google because Google was an open platform, then Google would lose a significant portion of their customers. Does that mean that they don’t have a choice? No, not really. But look at it this way:

1. the nations will censor, whether Google, microsoft, or anyone else helps them.
2. if Google, microsoft, or someone else complies, then they aren’t blocked.
3. if Google, microsoft, or someone else does not comply, then they are blocked.
4. It is bad for business to be blocked.
5. From 2,3,4, it is necessary to comply with the countries’ laws

I can see why they would comply with the censorship. And I don’t see that it causes any more harm than the censorship that is already in place (other than to block access to yet another possible online tool). Of course it is for business reasons, but that isn’t, in and of itself, a bad thing.

Does it make censorship acceptable? No, not at all. If it were up to me, I would say “To hell with china. Let them block google.” because at least if that happened, the people would be made aware of their predicament. If Google “uncensored” china for a week, way shorter than the time it would take for them to setup their own search engine (or have they already?), then it might shock those unfortunate people into action. That’s what the world day about cyber censorship is about, right?

]]>