Google Squares Off With China Over Freedom of Speech (Finally)

Google is no longer turning a blind eye on censorship in China and the company’s presence in China may be no more. In the wake of a December cyber attack originating in China, Google is shifting the way that it deals with the country.

Google states that it will no longer censor its results in China, where controversial search terms routinely turn up blank results, and the company intends to hold discussions with the Chinese government as to possible ways of offering unfiltered search results. The company expresses a willingness to withdraw its search engine altogether if an agreement can not be made, which is a likely outcome.

In addition to the cyber attack, which appears to have been aimed at uncovering Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists, Google cites increasing limits on free speech as another reason for its decision.

The attacks weren’t limited to Google and affected a reported 34 companies from a number of sectors. Google believes the attackers failed in regard to accessing email accounts and has buttressed security in the wake of the attack.

This saga should continue to unfold over the weeks to come. [via NY Times and Google Blog]