Browsing my RSS feeds this evening, I stumbled upon an interesting read. Apparently, Google, Yahoo and Microsoft got raked over the coals recently by Congress.
There's already been controversy surrounding the major internet search players recently-developed versions of their page for Chinese citizens – created in cooperation with China's censorship policies.
China filters thousands of web pages from it's citizens. Though it seems to have blocked a few random porn pages for some reason, it's main focus seems to be blocking out news and other information (including, for unknown reasons, pages on homosexuality and sexually transmitted diseases). I tried to find a list of pages that were known to be blocked, and found some good information from a study done at Harvard. It includes a page devoted to some of the highlights of the web pages filtered by China. The website choices range from confounding, to angering.
Anyway, Google appears to be blocking everything China wants them to, and more – why they block the home pages of some beer producers, I have no idea. More information on the random website blockage on CNet News.
Google's now-famous motto ("Don't be evil") has been getting thrown around a lot in light of their recent flirting with China. I don't know, no matter how badly you want to be providing services to China's huge population, this seems like too much bad publicity – why would an internet staple like Google want to get in bed with a government so concerned with blocking the Internet from it's citizens?
#1 by mOSTLY. eNGAGED. by gOD. on 2006-02-16 - 08:23
so that wasn't as entertaining as I had hoped….
#2 by frazzledsister on 2006-02-16 - 10:13
But most definately deeper then his earlier posts! Shame on Google.
#3 by Motherpearl on 2006-02-16 - 19:22
Thanks for that informative news report Josh. Were most of the blocks for political purposes?
#4 by Rabenstrange on 2006-02-17 - 10:05
I think that "want to get in bed with a government so concerned with blocking the Internet from it's citizens" because that country will have several times as many computer users as we do in the near future.
#5 by Anonymous on 2006-02-17 - 12:16
I believe they attempted to block every page with a negative view of China's government. A lot of the blocked pages were also of a religious nature. You should follow the links for more information.
#6 by mOSTLY. eNGAGED. by gOD. on 2006-02-17 - 15:01
soo…..about them web pages…
#7 by mOSTLY. eNGAGED. by gOD. on 2006-02-21 - 21:50
oh poop
#8 by frazzledsister on 2006-03-01 - 20:54
Isn't it time to post again? Come on! You're only in college, you don't have enough to do!
#9 by Motherpearl on 2006-03-02 - 16:31
It's time for you to post again!!!
#10 by mOSTLY. eNGAGED. by gOD. on 2006-03-08 - 12:19
how come you don't write anything anymore…at least i would write you comments.
#11 by frazzledsister on 2006-03-14 - 10:49
I'm home, Josh!
#12 by Motherpearl on 2006-03-16 - 23:31
Hey, you're on spring break and it's time for you to post again. How's it going???
Love,
Mom