Google vs China
Mengjie Zhang, Staff Writer
At beginning of 2010, Google
announced that it might quit
providing service in China un
less Chinese web censorship ends.
The announcement came after an
attack on Gmail accounts. Google
suspected that this attack was led
by the Chinese government to get
information about the activities of
human rights activists.
This announcement has led to
great discussion amongst tech
nology experts, politicians, and
citizens. Some people support
Google’s decision because they also
believe that China’s web censorship
is wrong. Others argue that Google
wants to quit operating in China
because it cannot compete with
Baidu—a popular search engine in
China. A third point of view argues
that Google’s decision came from
higher up, as a request from the
U.S. government to pressure China
into changing its censorship.
Besides Google, Microsoft and
Yahoo also operate in China. Yahoo
supports Google’s back-out, but
Microsoft has stated that they will
continue all their operations in
China and follow all laws and rules
imposed by the Chinese govern
ment. Secretary of State Hilary
Clinton made a statement that she
hoped China would investigate the
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@2010 • Privacy
attack on Google and start allow
ing free, uncensored use of the in
ternet for citizens. However, China
argued that the United States is
rather hypocritical because the US
government forbids the spread of
violence and pornography online;
and, under the Patriot Act, the US
claims the right to monitor phone
conversations, internet use, and
Screen shot of Google.com
emails if necessary. Regardless of
these statements,-however, both
China and the Unjted State remain
on good terms, and Google is left
to fight this battle without official
government support.
News at a
Glance
gathered by Mengjie Zhang
• The 2010 Winter Olynrpics opened
with a beautiful ceremony on Febru
ary 12th night in Canada, but have
since been clouded by the death of
Georgian luger Nodar
Kumaritashvili.
• Top British fashion designer Alexan
der McQueen, 40, w'as found dead at
London home on February 11, 2010.
• According to articles from New York
Times on Febi’uary' 2, 2010, Google is
dealing with nrajor issues concerning
business and user privacy, copyright
protection, and the dominance of
Google’s Internet search engine in
Europe.
• US Secretary' of State Hillary Clinton
Lvarns Iran not to “bitild their bomb”
during speech given at the US-Islam-
ic VV'^orld fonrm in Qatar.
After a summit held in Brussels last
I Thursday (Feb. 11th 2010), EU lead
ers promised to help Greece with its
debts. However, no details have been
provided that explain how this will
be done.
I
“Can you see me?” photographed by Mer^ith student Charis Hill, courtesy of the Study Abroad Office
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Email herald@meredith.edu