Asian Brides

In November I wrote an article and a trip referred ICMediaDirect.com ’s VP of Business Development, Diana Lee, took to China. Participated in Shanghai’s inaugural ad: tech conference. It was a great trip and our business links with China are stronger because of it. Like most Western companies doing business in China, just doing business and there are no mitigating circumstances. Google, the search engine giant can not say the same.

an economic giant China is warming up to the power of the Internet, but this has not been a perfect marriage so far. Centralization of power and the decentralized nature of the Internet, not the mesh. Beijing feels compelled to exercise tight control over any information that can flow in order to stifle potential dissent within Chinese society. A letter from government in 2000 clearly states that Internet providers must restrict information that could “harm the dignity and interests of the state.” And it is in the middle term, which Communist Google waded into the waters last week, as it presented its local Chinese search engine, Google.cn.

Google.com now available to Internet users in China, but the search engine launched Google.cn to maintain competitiveness in the market, as China and has some great search engine of its own, specifically Baidu. But there is a price to pay. In a totally inconsistent with Google to censor websites that the Chinese government considers a threat. Only some of these sites is not considered kosher include Bacardi.com, Date.com, collegehumor.com, jackdaniels.com, news.bbc.co.uk, pressfreedom.com, queernet.org and teenpregnancy.org. Thus, in addition to sites deemed critical to Beijing, web sites related to sex, alcohol, and the controversial issues are banned in Google.cn, too. Now consider an excerpt from the presentation of the Google IPO, which reads: “Do not be evil. We firmly believe that in the long run, it will be better - as shareholders and in all other ways - by a company that does good things for the world, even if you forgo some short-term profits. This is an important aspect of our culture and is broadly shared within the company. ”

Google foray into China is directly at odds with its exuberant IPO statement. Perhaps a bit of idealism taken too seriously, but it is forgivable. To date, none of the shares of Google have really amounted to anything more than take some eggs on your face. However, Google is not just any old company, selling their products. These are historic moments for the Mountain View, CA pile, in the coming years and its presence in China will amount to much more than a search engine that censorship playboy.com for the communist government.

If nothing else, the last two or three years we have demonstrated the inherent strength of search engines - and none more than Google. And I think an unintended consequence of China’s position at Google is to raise awareness of how search results can be influenced. Comparisons of “Tiananmen” seeks to illustrate this. Several blogs split screen shows stills of the results of using keywords “Tiananmen” on Google Images. Google.cn shows the picture after picture of a lovely park, while Google.com shows a screen full of those infamous images of a lone protester facing threats tanks. Only one instance of censorship in real time is being broadcast live over the Internet, a service from Google. It was unintentional and terrible for advertising on Google. Curiously, the time too, given Google, right here in U.S. defense against government intrusion in their affairs.

From a business perspective Google’s position is completely rational and understandable. They knew they were in a package or two to Beijing for caving. They said that providing information to offer is better than none. In his own defense, Google said that less than 2% of websites are censored on Google.cn - a mere misery - however, this is the same company that made fun Yahoo for as little as 1% of the index Paid inclusion. Then it was beginning. Now this is business. Initially, it is not surprising that can take a hike.

Again, Google’s position is not bad. It’s almost silly to imagine a global leader who can maintain the prominence to maintain a faithful noble (and now sense) definition of “do no evil.” But in an ironic twist dark, Google may someday find themselves in situations of a flat “The evil we do right.”

One of the advantages of Google search privacy and user privacy is back on the handle here in the U.S. states. Think what it means to the privacy of users - people can seek help for alcohol and drug problems without fear of ostracism, it can test the job market without making waves, ask questions that may feel embarrassed to ask someone who knows - all anonymous. It might take this for granted, but this is a powerful asset for us and useful.

Could anyone really believe that Google will protect the Chinese internet users if the powers in Beijing, began to make demands of seeking private information about Chinese searches? Google has entered China in Beijing in jeopardy. When questions of ethics Google does not have much to say because they are clearly in China for the mass. The power of search, we see in China, you can - and let’s be honest, be used against the people some day. This would make Google, “do no evil” fame - a bit complicated.

Even some major changes occurring in Beijing foresee much awkwardness for the “do no evil” group operating in China. In short, the party leaders in Beijing that Google in a barrel - I guess that means sell. If you only care benefits, this article had not been written. But this is Google. And their product is a powerful tool and has already given some very powerful people in Beijing. This time it was to prevent the Chinese people to access certain information. As the search continues to improve and become powerful, it is difficult to say what they called Google. Google may be forced to renounce the identity of their users in China. Is anything but a farfetched scenario. It’s the hypocrisy of big companies expect? Sure, to some extent. But this is dangerous hypocrisy.