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Google moves to avoid total Chinese shutdown |
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Google has moved to calm its censorship row with the Chinese government, warning it could otherwise "go dark", and will no longer re-route users through its Hong Kong site.
The move comes five months after Google stopped self-censoring its internet search results in China, following a cyber attack that the search giant believed emanated from the country's authorities. China now uses its own internet filters to censor Google searches within the territory.
Since the turn of the year Google had been automatically redirecting users of Google.cn, based in China, to a Hong Kong-based site, Google.com.hk, that does not censor search results, and is therefore in keeping with Google’s own search policy.
Visitors to Google.cn will now no longer be redirected automatically – a system the Chinese government had been unhappy with – but will be able to click on a link that directs them to a new version of Google.com.hk.
The new China-based landing page will allow users access to services offered previously by Google.cn, including product search and text translate.
The move comes ahead of a tense 48 hours as Google attempts to renew its licence to operate in China, due to expire tomorrow (Wednesday). The application for the new licence includes the new strategy for the Hong Kong site.
Writing on the Google company blog, David Drummond, senior vice-president for corporate development and chief legal officer for the search giant, said: "Over the next few days we’ll end the redirect entirely, taking all our Chinese users to our new landing page."
He also said that the licence renewal application was submitted, "based on this approach."
Drummond said: "As a company, we aspire to make information available to users everywhere, including China. It’s why we have worked so hard to keep Google.cn alive, as well as to continue our research and development work in China.
"This new approach is consistent with our commitment not to self censor and, we believe, with local law. We are therefore hopeful that our licence will be renewed on this basis so we can continue to offer our Chinese users services via Google.cn."
This article was first published on Brand Republic |
