Google and Censorship
One thing about having lived abroad is that you get a fresh perspective on the cherished values of your homeland. One thing I cherish greatly is that on the Internet as an embodiment of freedom of speech and press, I have access to enourmous amounts of information, that is unfettered and uncensored (for the most part). We take this for granted here in the U.S.. Whenever a news story breaks, we can pull up any number of websites and get a pretty good idea what is going on. We expect the press to be honest and reasonably fair. I know I know some people claim the press is biased, but if you know what those biases are then it is less of problem. The basic information still gets out. We are an informed public if we choose to be.
When 9/11 occurred, we were sitting in our apartment in Germany watching it on CNN. CNN being what it is didn't have every bit of information. So, by having access to the Internet over there, we were able to pull up any number of U.S. and international news sites to see just wtf was going on. People were freeking in our apartment building. Our neighbors (all german) were more distressed than we were. One man was ready to go out and beat some heads. The point was we had ALL that we needed to know in order to deal with the crisis. That is freedom!! Bless the Europeans for holding similar values as we do. We may not always agree on some things, but freedom of speech, the press, and the open Internet are universal in the West.
This is not so in China. As a person who has a very real possibility of being sent to China, the issue of Google and others willingly collaborating with the Chinese regime to censor the Internet looms large.
Step back to April of 2001, if you recall, a certain U.S. spy plane was forced to land in China. A major dispute ensued. Nationalist riots erupted in every major Chinese city. American consulates and the Embassy were beseiged by protesters. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of American's deemed it prudent to leave at that point. Staff families were evacuated. I would imagine it was a nervous time to for any American to be in China during the following months.
If I were in China then, I would probably be desperate to find accurate information on what was unfolding. Would I have gotten it? Would I have even been able to reach U.S. news sites in english? Would I have been able to read any news that would have been anything other than the nationialist party rhetoric? Think NOT. This would surely have only added to our distress.
We might well have said, thats it .. we are going home.
Fast forward to a few months back. Remember the chemical spills on the river in northern China? If you recall, the Chinese officials were not exactly forthcoming to the public (ours and theirs) as to the danger they were in. In some cases they were not informed at all. Where would I, an American have gotten my information? I would have turned to the free press of the West, which did its best to cover the story despite efforts of the Chinese government to squash it. Would I have gotten that information? Google it? Apparently not.
I accept that, China is a sovereign country. I understand, that they make their own laws, and enforce them accordingly. If I am put in danger by a their government due to their practice of censorship, then at least I know who the enemy is. But the thought that I could be put into danger, by my fellow Americans, by them collaborating with the Chinese to deny ME my freedoms, is downright TREACHEROUS! American's should not do this. No American company should be complicit in activities that are contrary to OUR fundamental values. This practice of being complicit to Chinese censorship would seriously deter me from doing business there if I were an entrepeneur. It will also make us think twice, thrice, four times over, before committing to an overseas position there. I don't care how damn big their market is. If we cannot reinforce our values there, and feel that our values are protected by our fellow Americans, then we should not be there.
Google is wrong. Any other company that willfully complies with Chinese (or any other country's) censorship is wrong. You undermine the very values we hold dear.
When 9/11 occurred, we were sitting in our apartment in Germany watching it on CNN. CNN being what it is didn't have every bit of information. So, by having access to the Internet over there, we were able to pull up any number of U.S. and international news sites to see just wtf was going on. People were freeking in our apartment building. Our neighbors (all german) were more distressed than we were. One man was ready to go out and beat some heads. The point was we had ALL that we needed to know in order to deal with the crisis. That is freedom!! Bless the Europeans for holding similar values as we do. We may not always agree on some things, but freedom of speech, the press, and the open Internet are universal in the West.
This is not so in China. As a person who has a very real possibility of being sent to China, the issue of Google and others willingly collaborating with the Chinese regime to censor the Internet looms large.
Step back to April of 2001, if you recall, a certain U.S. spy plane was forced to land in China. A major dispute ensued. Nationalist riots erupted in every major Chinese city. American consulates and the Embassy were beseiged by protesters. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of American's deemed it prudent to leave at that point. Staff families were evacuated. I would imagine it was a nervous time to for any American to be in China during the following months.
If I were in China then, I would probably be desperate to find accurate information on what was unfolding. Would I have gotten it? Would I have even been able to reach U.S. news sites in english? Would I have been able to read any news that would have been anything other than the nationialist party rhetoric? Think NOT. This would surely have only added to our distress.
We might well have said, thats it .. we are going home.
Fast forward to a few months back. Remember the chemical spills on the river in northern China? If you recall, the Chinese officials were not exactly forthcoming to the public (ours and theirs) as to the danger they were in. In some cases they were not informed at all. Where would I, an American have gotten my information? I would have turned to the free press of the West, which did its best to cover the story despite efforts of the Chinese government to squash it. Would I have gotten that information? Google it? Apparently not.
I accept that, China is a sovereign country. I understand, that they make their own laws, and enforce them accordingly. If I am put in danger by a their government due to their practice of censorship, then at least I know who the enemy is. But the thought that I could be put into danger, by my fellow Americans, by them collaborating with the Chinese to deny ME my freedoms, is downright TREACHEROUS! American's should not do this. No American company should be complicit in activities that are contrary to OUR fundamental values. This practice of being complicit to Chinese censorship would seriously deter me from doing business there if I were an entrepeneur. It will also make us think twice, thrice, four times over, before committing to an overseas position there. I don't care how damn big their market is. If we cannot reinforce our values there, and feel that our values are protected by our fellow Americans, then we should not be there.
Google is wrong. Any other company that willfully complies with Chinese (or any other country's) censorship is wrong. You undermine the very values we hold dear.
posted by Mahkno at 2:25 PM
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