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1/13/10

China: Rejecting censorship, Google threatens to quit China


The threat by the world's leading Internet search provider may win it praise for seemingly putting ethics above business, but give Microsoft and a handful of local rivals an edge in the huge yet problematic Chinese Internet market. While Google's potential exit from a Chinese search market that is growing at 40 percent would have little impact on its short-term revenues, analysts said that cutting itself out of this important market may carry a longer-term strategic cost.

Google generated 53 percent of its $5.9 billion in third-quarter revenue outside the United States, although it does not disclose the size of its business in China.

Google issued its warning after discovering what it called "a sophisticated and targeted" cyber attack on its email service. Google said it believed hackers were targeting Chinese human rights activists.

Note EU-Digest: This ethical statement by Google has won praise all around the world, but hopefully it will not remain as a statement only. Google competitors including Microsoft are closely watched by Western human rights activists and others if they will be taking advantage of the situation. They have been advised to take a similar position as Google versus the Chinese Government, in relation to the right of freedom of expression. Many other mayor players in the electronics industry in China, including Microsoft and Google are US companies. They need not only to adhere to US laws which guarantee the freedom of expression, but ethically also need to apply these laws to their conduct around the world. They can't have their cake and eat it too.


Rejecting censorship, Google threatens to quit China | Reuters

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