Google in the crosshairs
Last week, as some of you may remember, I wrote a post on Google's decision to censor itself in China in return for access to a huge, growing market. You can find that post here.
Reaction in the blogosphere was fierce and overwhelmingly anti-Google. And I agree to this extent: Google's decision to censor itself is both hypocritical, given its opposition to governmental interference in the United States, and a reflection of unabashed greed.
And I agree further that China's totalitarian regime is reprehensible and that we need to take a tougher stance on China regarding trade, investment, relations with Taiwan (which we should continue to support), and, of course, human rights.
Yet I suggested in my post that there could yet be unintendedly positive consequences to Google's presence in China, even under censorship. If the internet is a liberating medium (which it is), then China is better off with it than without it. Or, I should say, the Chinese people, not to mention democratic elements pursuing reform in China, are better off with it than without it. And Google, let's face it, is essential to the internet. That is, the service it provides, a search engine for the dissemination of information, is essential.
No, the Chinese won't be able to Google, say, Tienanmen Square or Falun Gong. And that's not good. They deserve to know what happened in Tienanmen Square and what Falun Gong is all about. Indeed, they must know. But, for now, what if, say, a young Chinese boy wants to Google, oh, Yao Ming. Wouldn't his virtual interaction with the West via a Chinese NBA star not be to his benefit? And what if millions of Chinese boys were to Google Yao Ming? Wouldn't they learn something of his life in America? Wouldn't they learn something of America?
Well, ultimately, it won't just be Yao anymore. It'll be Tienanmen Square and Falun Gong. Even the most totalitarian of regimes (and China isn't quite North Korea), after all, cannot completely shut off the flow of information from the outside.
In this sense, Google's censored presence in China may yet be the thin end of a wedge that is essential to opening up China to alternatives to its brutal totalitarianism. I'm not suggesting that Google, a business focused on its bottom line and certainly without the purest of motivations, will be leading the revolution -- but wouldn't that be a good thing?
**********
On Saturday, The Boston Globe published an article by one of its technology reporters, Hiawatha Bray, on the blogosphere's reaction to Google's decision. I'm pleased to let you know that the article quotes me and refers to The Reaction. You can find the article here.
Update: My new friend Linkmeister (he of his excellent eponymous blog) informs me that I've also been quoted in Time's Blogwatch column. You can find it here.
Unfortunately, neither the Globe nor Time links back here, but, well, who knew that my unconventional defence of Google would attract such attention?
Reaction in the blogosphere was fierce and overwhelmingly anti-Google. And I agree to this extent: Google's decision to censor itself is both hypocritical, given its opposition to governmental interference in the United States, and a reflection of unabashed greed.
And I agree further that China's totalitarian regime is reprehensible and that we need to take a tougher stance on China regarding trade, investment, relations with Taiwan (which we should continue to support), and, of course, human rights.
Yet I suggested in my post that there could yet be unintendedly positive consequences to Google's presence in China, even under censorship. If the internet is a liberating medium (which it is), then China is better off with it than without it. Or, I should say, the Chinese people, not to mention democratic elements pursuing reform in China, are better off with it than without it. And Google, let's face it, is essential to the internet. That is, the service it provides, a search engine for the dissemination of information, is essential.
No, the Chinese won't be able to Google, say, Tienanmen Square or Falun Gong. And that's not good. They deserve to know what happened in Tienanmen Square and what Falun Gong is all about. Indeed, they must know. But, for now, what if, say, a young Chinese boy wants to Google, oh, Yao Ming. Wouldn't his virtual interaction with the West via a Chinese NBA star not be to his benefit? And what if millions of Chinese boys were to Google Yao Ming? Wouldn't they learn something of his life in America? Wouldn't they learn something of America?
Well, ultimately, it won't just be Yao anymore. It'll be Tienanmen Square and Falun Gong. Even the most totalitarian of regimes (and China isn't quite North Korea), after all, cannot completely shut off the flow of information from the outside.
In this sense, Google's censored presence in China may yet be the thin end of a wedge that is essential to opening up China to alternatives to its brutal totalitarianism. I'm not suggesting that Google, a business focused on its bottom line and certainly without the purest of motivations, will be leading the revolution -- but wouldn't that be a good thing?
**********
On Saturday, The Boston Globe published an article by one of its technology reporters, Hiawatha Bray, on the blogosphere's reaction to Google's decision. I'm pleased to let you know that the article quotes me and refers to The Reaction. You can find the article here.
Update: My new friend Linkmeister (he of his excellent eponymous blog) informs me that I've also been quoted in Time's Blogwatch column. You can find it here.
Unfortunately, neither the Globe nor Time links back here, but, well, who knew that my unconventional defence of Google would attract such attention?
27 Comments:
Chinese web users can see full, uncensored results for their Google search by replacing “&meta;=” with “&meta;=cr%3DcountryBR” in the URL. Once the string is replaced, the censorship will not affect the results. Via: Diggdot.us
http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2600
Additionally:
searching for Tiananmen on Google China with a capital “t” leads to the expected results of tanks barreling down on students.
http://us.gizmodo.com/gadgets/google/see-google-see-google-censor-censor-google-censor-151503.php
Lastly:
...but if you search for common misspellings like "Tienanmen," "Tianenmen," or "Tiananman," you get photos of tanks.
http://money.cnn.com/2006/01/30/technology/browser0130/index.htm?cnn=yes
Google left backdoors open.....
By
Anonymous, at 12:13 AM
Thanks you for the informative comment, Anonymous. I hope the Chinese people take advantage of these "backdoors".
By
Michael J.W. Stickings, at 1:31 AM
Your fame has reached Time Magazine's Blogwatch column. Regrettably, the online version doesn't have hyperlinks to each blog (which seems a little odd, don't you think?).
By
Linkmeister, at 2:27 AM
Wow. Thanks for letting me know. I know it's awfully egotistical of me, but I'm going to post the link as an update.
By
Michael J.W. Stickings, at 2:39 AM
Michael, I definitely agree with you here. I glad to see Google in China, even if it is with a diminished system (although as your earlier commenter points out, that might not be the case). I think the hypocrisy of Google is what upset more people, and that can be seen in their (highly over-publicized) stock tumble.
Glenn Reynolds talked about the idea of moral capital in his piece for TCS Daily (http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=013106D) a couple of days back. It's a pretty good piece, and hits at the only thing on Google's mind, cash. Like a lot of people, I had elevated Google to some mythical status of "great equalizer," which they obviously aren't.
So, yeah, it's good to have Google doing some work in China, but the fact will always be that they had a chance to really make a stand or make a statement and they backed down from that opportunity for (admittedly, a large) chunk of change.
By
Jon, at 1:53 PM
Information wants to be free. No way to dam it. Damn it.
By
The Heretik, at 12:06 PM
Information doesn't have any desires. It can only be made free and kept free by the hard work of people everywhere fighting for freedom.
By
Anonymous, at 4:05 PM
Thanks Best Regards
mirc
mirç
mırc
mırç
mircturk
turkmirc
turkiyemirc
mircturkiye
mirch
mırch
mirc indir
mirc yükle
mirc yukle
mırc indir
mırc yukle
mirc turkiye
turkiye mirc
turk mirc
mirc turk
türkçe mirc
türkce mirc
türkçe mırc
turkce mirc
turkçe mirc
turkçe mırc
turkce mirc
mirc chat
mirc sohbet
mirc ara
muhabbet
chat
blog
muhabbet
forum
forum
turkiyeforum
türk forum
mirc
mircturk
turkmirc
mirc indir
sohbet
chat
bedava sohbet
turksohbet
turkiye sohbet
sohbet odaları
bedava chat
chat odaları
türk chat
türkiye chat
turkada
turkmirc
mirc inndir
karar
By
Anonymous, at 2:37 PM
mirc
mırc
mırç
mircturk
turkmirc
mirc indir
mırc indir
mirç indir
mirc yükle
mırc yükle
mirc yukle
mırc yukle
mirch
mırch
mirc turk
turk mirc
mırc turk
mircada
mircturkiye
muhabbet
mirc sohbet
mırc sohbet
mirc chat
mırc chat
mırc ındır
mirc ındır
türkçe mirc
turkce mirc
turkçe mırc
turkce mırc
By
Anonymous, at 5:58 AM
Thanks so much for this! This is exactly what I was looking for
mirc mırc Türkçe Mirc
turkce mirc mirc indir mirc
mirc indir islami sohbet kelebek kelebek script kelebek sohbet kelebek mirc mirc indir kameralı mirc chat çet cet çet yap görüntülü çet sohbet kanalları kameralı sohbet kanalları
sohbet odaları sohbet odası sohbet odaları sevgili sevgi arkadaş arkadaş ara arkadaş bul arkadaşlık bedava sohbet arkadaşlık sitesi arkadaşlık siteleri partner keyifyap güzel mesajlar oto araba şarkı sözleri biyografi forum astroloji
tarot falı
yemek tarifleri
kameralı sohbet
ikinci el
gazete
gazeteler
günlük gazeteler
erzurum
bedava domain
ücretsiz
benimurl
parça kontör
kontör yükle
sohbet
radyo dinle
radyo mydonose
bedava blog
ücretsiz blog
By
Anonymous, at 6:04 PM
アフィリエイト
インプラント
不動産
派遣
キャッシング
toefl
パソコン自作
By
歩, at 4:59 AM
クレジットカード 現金化
投資
FX
データ復旧
コンタクトレンズ
不動産
By
歩, at 4:59 AM
外国為替
美容整形
引越
現金化
外国為替
派遣会社
クレジットカード 現金化
By
歩, at 4:59 AM
Oyun oyunlar oyun oyna gibi kelimeler toner kartuş konuları yer almakta bedava oyunlar
2 Oyunculu Oyunlar - Yetenek Oyunları - Dövüş Oyunları - Aksiyon Macera Oyunları - Nişancılık Oyunları - Spor Oyunları - Yarış Oyunları - Zeka Hafıza Oyunları - oyun çocukta doğuştan gelen bir tabiat ve Allah'ın onda yarattığı bir içgüdüdür. Bunun temelinde çocuğun fiziksel gelişiminin mükemmel bir tarzda gelişimdirMotor Oyunları - Mario Oyunları - Savaş Oyunları - Strateji Taktik Oyunları - Yemek Pişirme Oyunları - Dekor Oyunları - Boyama Kitabı Oyunları - 3 Boyutlu Oyunlar - Hugo Oyunları - Sonic Oyunları - Webcam Oyunları - Peri Güzellik Oyunları - Battleon Oyunları - Süper Oyunlar - İlizyon Oyunları - Komik Oyunlar - Teletabi Oyunları - Giysi Giydirme oyunları - Makyaj yapma oyunları -çocuğun en özenli işidir. Yetişkin için iş ve kazanç ne ise onun için de oyun odur... Dış dünyanın kavranılması öğrenilmesi ve hayata hazırlanmanın en ... Kız oyunları - Çocuk Oyunları - işletme oyunları - varmısın yokmusun - Bebek Oyunları - Oyun - Animasyon - Oyun Oyna - Oyunlar - Oyun Cambazı - Bedava Oyunlar - motosiklet dergisi - animasyon - renkli toner tozları - fotokopi toneri - kartuş - toner - boş toner - boş kartuş - toner dram - toner chip - toner tozu - toner dolumu - kartuş dolumu - kartuş dolum malzemeleri - kartuş dolum makinesi - renkli toner dolumu - Bedava Oyun - Kral oyun
haber
By
cicicocuk, at 7:06 PM
Fibercement
Dış cephe
Hekimboard
Turksiding
İzokon
Dış Cephe Kaplama
Mantolama
Söve
Kaplama
Dışcephe
Dış cephe
Dışcephe
Güvenlik
By
turksiding, at 11:49 AM
thank you very good
mirc
mirc indir
mirc yükle
mırc
türkçe mirc
kameralı mirc
kaçak
kaçak script
sohbet
chat
chat sohbet
film indir
divx film indir
divx indir
film izle
dizi izle
mp4 film indir
By
mirckeyfi, at 1:42 PM
賃貸 中央線
賃貸 丸ノ内線
賃貸 新築
賃貸 京浜東北線
賃貸 大田区
賃貸 北区
賃貸 江東区
賃貸 楽器可
賃貸 手数料なし
賃貸 保証人不要
賃貸 駅5分以内
賃貸 部屋探し
東京 部屋探し
デザイナーズ 賃貸
賃貸 分譲仕様
賃貸 中央区
賃貸 京王線
賃貸 東横線
賃貸 品川
賃貸 渋谷
賃貸 新宿
賃貸 杉並
賃貸 世田谷
賃貸 千代田区
賃貸 池袋
賃貸 中野
賃貸 文京区
賃貸 港区
賃貸 目黒
賃貸 ペット可
By
Anonymous, at 6:26 AM
徐州回转支承 公司提供转盘轴承 --slewing ring slewing bearing slewing bearings服务. automation-industrial-industrial automation-slewing bearing
By
Anonymous, at 1:01 AM
出会いサイト
出会い系
アダルト 出会い
アダルトサイト
By
Anonymous, at 3:06 AM
名刺作成
格安 名刺
By
Anonymous, at 3:06 AM
ブランド品 買取
インプラント 家具付 賃貸 東京 インプラント パーティー 矯正歯科 名古屋 結婚相談所 東京 マンション 買取 1戸建て 査定 1戸建て 買取 SEO対策 車買取 自動車保険 バイク買取 美容整形 労働問題 収益物件や不動産売却などにはマンション査定と土地売買と1戸建て売却が含まれる。 物件探しは広島 不動産 岡山 不動産 松山市 不動産 香川県 不動産 徳島 不動産 高知 不動産 高松 不動産をフルカバーしてます大手で エステ バイク買取 美容整形どっと インプラント インプラント東京 インプラント札幌 インプラント大阪 インプラント福岡 広島市 賃貸 結婚式 弁護士 英会話 グルメ 東京 グルメ 静岡 一戸建て 静岡 注文住宅
By
Anonymous, at 10:46 PM
オークション バイク 美容 インプラント 札幌 インプラント 美容外科 インプラント 大阪 インプラント 東京 インプラント 福岡 弁護士 美容院 結婚式 英会話 エステサロン グルメ 東京 グルメ ホテル 探偵 口コミ 口腔外科 インプラント 治療 広島 インプラント インプラント 口コミ 大阪 インプラント インプラント費用 東京 インプラント インプラント 歯科 塾 広島市 賃貸 税理士 転職 ラブホテル 自転車 ネイルサロン エステサロン 探偵 ペットショップ リフォーム 司法書士 歯科 審美歯科 リサイクルショップ 興信所 探偵事務所 探偵 興信所 浮気調査 探偵 浮気 占い 中古車
By
Anonymous, at 10:47 PM
興信所 探偵学校 離婚 浮気 東京 探偵 東京 興信所 離婚 慰謝料 探偵 料金 素行 探偵 選び方 探偵浮気調査 探偵社 探偵 埼玉 探偵 横浜 東京都 探偵 新宿区 探偵 さいたま市 探偵 探偵 神奈川 探偵 千葉 女性 探偵社 船橋市 探偵 東京都 興信所 興信所 横浜 神奈川県 興信所 千葉県 興信所 興信所 埼玉 興信所 千葉 行方調査 家出人調査 結婚調査 家出 人探し 浮気 証拠 浮気 調査料金 離婚 調停 離婚 相談 探偵 開業 探偵 起業
By
Anonymous, at 10:13 PM
探偵
探偵 東京
探偵事務所
探偵 独立開業
浮気調査
矯正歯科 名古屋
By
Anonymous, at 10:14 PM
wow gold
wow gold
eve isk
wow power leveling
wow power leveling
wow power leveling
wow power leveling
warhammer gold
warhammer power leveling
bestchina traveland
uggsor
ghd straighteners
Tiffany Rings
Tiffany Earrings
By
Anonymous, at 4:27 AM
03170
電報
op
iop
青島 温泉
uy
探偵
ent
you
youliaolaoren
qwo
wer
to
for
名刺
live
hi
sky
per
cou
xie
wei
shi
look
enw
up
here
go
hom
hous
gucl
shunk
cona
netbol
saish
town
yeawo
By
Anonymous, at 4:58 AM
It was not long cheap wow goldbefore some one knocked atwow gold cheap wow gold for salethe house-door and called, open the door, dear children, your mother is here, and has brought something back with her for each of you. But the little wowpoweronkids knew that it was the wolf, by the rough voice. We will gold4power not open the door, cried they, you are not our mother. She has a soft, pleasant voice, but your voice is rough, you are the wolf.
Then the wolf went World Of Warcraft Goldaway to a shopkeeper and bought himself a great cheapest wow goldlump of chalk, ate this and made mmogap his voice soft with it. The he came back, knocked at the door of the house, and igsky called, open the door, dear children, your mother is here and Cheapest Wow Goldhas brought something back with her for each of you.
By
Anonymous, at 8:45 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home