Google admits censorship
p2p news / p2pnet: Here’s what Google’s help entry on censorship used to read:
Google does not censor results for any search term. The order and content of our results are completely automated; we do not manipulate our search results by hand. We believe strongly in allowing the democracy of the web to determine the inclusion and ranking of sites in our search results. To learn more about Google’s search technology, please visit …
But that’s changed, points out Google Blogoscope, quoting Gary Price on SearchEngineWatch.
Here’s what the Google Help Center says these days:
Does Google censor search results?
It is Google’s policy not to censor search results. However, in response to local laws, regulations, or policies, we may do so. When we remove search results for these reasons, we display a notice on our search results pages. Please note: For some older removals (before March 2005), we may not show a notice at this time.
Oh.
If you’re Google, censorship is OK, then.
Microsoft and Yahoo would agree.
Meanwhile, the company is at the same time being roundly criticized for kowtowing to Communist China and warmly praised not kowtowing to US president George W. Bush, who’s demanding that the company hand over certain search data in the interests of anti-terrorism.
Also See:
Google Blogoscope – Google Removes Its Help Entry on Censorship, More News, January 27, 2006
kowtowing to Communist China – Google rejects Bush demand, January 20, 2006
certain search data – Bush demands Google user data, January 19, 2006
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If you’re Chinese and you’re looking for a way to access independent Internet news sources, try Freegate, the DIT program written to help Chinese citizens circumvent website blocking outside of China.
Download it here and feel free to copy the zip and host it yourself so others can download it.
January 28th, 2006 at 11:12 pm
whats better, some google, so you can get at least a little information… or NO google so you can’t do squat?
Google’s choice to sensor China is a good thing! And most everyone anywhere else would agree with that… Except you morons on this site… -_-
Please stop making google seem like bad guys… This is the only option they have… at least with Google still accessable in China, there is a chance stuff can still get through…
I hope p2pnet feels ashamed for being so bais against Google…
January 28th, 2006 at 11:37 pm
I somewhat agree with your all or nothing stance. Censorship or not, the more exposure to Western society the Chinese people get the better. However you shouldn’t bash sites that expose censorship, that’s what ‘freedom’ is all about and it should be celebrated
January 29th, 2006 at 1:01 am
Whats the issue here? Either Google complies with China or they get blocked, its not like they have a choice if they want to do business there. What annoys me most is that with all the US corporate influance upon the rest of the world, you would think that they would have the power to get rid of this China censorship loving government and give some freedom to China.
January 29th, 2006 at 12:47 pm
The Bush administration is demanding the search data from Google and other search providers to try and prop up it’s pitifully weak case to try and salvage the Children’s On-Line Protection Act (COPA.) COPA seeks to ban content from commercial websites deemed “harmful to minors” unless some form of access control, such as a login with an Adult Verification Service, must be negotiated before such content can be displayed.
The problem is that the standard of “harmful to minors” is so vague as to subject nearly any content to prosecution based upon extremely subjective (and likely unreasonable, given this administration) interpretation of what constitutes harmful to minors.
Furthermore, the administration is demanding the data through subpoena despite this issue being an administrative (not enforcement) in nature. There is an injunction against enforcement of most of the provisions of COPA pending final adjudication by SCOTUS.
The subpoena essentially allows the Government to acquire this data for almost no expense, when they should be compensating the subpoena recipients on a market rate basis. They can’t subpoena AP or Reuters to get news feeds. They can’t subpoena the cable company to get free cable at DOJ facilities. They have to contract for and pay for these information services like any other person or organization.
Should they not get what they want, I wouldn’t be surpised to see the ‘terrorist’ card played. It’s become the magic word to allow the administration to do whatever they wish despite minor inconveniences like the Constitution.
January 29th, 2006 at 2:14 pm
Censorship is a very complex issue. It takes may form and is further complicated by the adoption of differet moral stands by different persons, organizations and governments.
What is censorship one place, it is not cesorship elsewhere.
With the Goggle-China cesorship issue some questions must be answered first:
1. Is Google a person with morals or is it a moraless nationless corporation whose only or primary purpose is to make money for the owners, akin to an armaments manufacturers? The answer is yes. As we should know all armament manufacturer’s arms are commonly used to supress the people or to kill the neighbors. And the armaments are sold with the approval (sometimes with the urging) of the government and the shareholders.
2. Then there is the argument: If we don’t do it, someoneelse will. This arguments fits nicely with the purpose of the coporations, make money. Is the argument right? That the depends on who has to answer and what his/her morals and monetary interests are.
3. Then there is the issue of the tradition in censorship. Censorship is everywhere and at all time. Governments, churches, schools, political parties, newspapers, radio stations are highly secretive and censured from theoutside and from within. It is in the nature of humans to be secretive and secreteness leads directly to censure, as the purpose of sensure is to keep ideas and facts hidden (same as secret).
4. Does the government of China do right in censoring information? And with the participation of foreign corporations? Maybe we are better off replacing the name of China with the name of your country.
Everything in my country (Puerto Rico) is heavily censored. For example, newspapers and the advertisement agencies are so dependent on government advertisement money that goverment and judicial corruption is hardly covered and when is covered it is in a very summary manner. Briefly, newspapers persons fear the government. Some say Puerto Rico is an American territory (whatever that means, I certainly do not know) and treat the American constitution as valid here. We are heavily censored by the American constitution/government and even our own government. Freedom of speech is hardly existent
Sure, I did not clarify the murky waters of what is censorship. My only purpose id to try to explain that censorship is everywhere and maybe we do not see it. It will never go away as long as money is the primary goal of the people.
Rafael Venegas
http://www.gvenegas.com
January 30th, 2006 at 12:00 pm
Google also filters results in the US ,Germany and France for certain seach results at the requst of the govornment .
Granted the results is filters in Fance and Gemany are for Neo Nazi websites and in the US Terrorist ,Child Porn sites are filtered but Google have a track record of filtering at a govornment request.