From Google Blogoscoped:
The Google cache of web pages is one of those features known to be widely blocked for Chinese users thanks to China Mainland internet service providers, outside of the responsibility of Google. The missing “cache” link however is now in the responsibility of Google. It’s another form of self-censorship Google has committed to in China, and the reasoning for this may be similar to previous forms of Google.cn self-censorship; Google may argue they aim to provide a better user experience with that feature removal, as people clicking on the cache link before weren’t ending up on the actual web page cache. This also means that indirectly – and whether or not the Chinese gov’t actively pressured Google to remove the feature – it’s another step in Google.cn becoming the kind of search engine the Chinese government (more precisely, its ministry of information) would like to see. Through control of one side of the technology – ISPs – the gov’t exerts indirect control over Google, as going by Google’s logic of “we need to shield Google users in China from broken links/ services“**, they can block certain features of Google to then have Google remove them on their end, too.
The Google slogan: Don’t be evil:
Don’t be evil. Much has been written about Google’s slogan, but we really try to live by it, particularly in the ranks of management. As in every organization, people are passionate about their views. But nobody throws chairs at Google, unlike management practices used at some other well-known technology companies. We foster to create an atmosphere of tolerance and respect, not a company full of yes men.
This is a looks-like-to-be a marketing campaign from Google in MSNBC.
See more about it in Wikipedia:
Some products and actions by Google are seen by some to be in contradiction to their Don’t Be Evil ethic. These include allowing advertisers to make nominative use of competitors’ trademarked keywords in AdWords advertisements, lack of diligence to prevent click fraud,[citation needed] copyright issues related to their Google Print Library Project, the inclusion of ethically-questionable content in Google Groups (computer intrusion instructions and password trading, for example), and the exclusion of some content from local search results in Germany and China that is restricted by local governments. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch both have strongly condemned Google’s China policy[1], calling it a form of self-censorship.
Read also: China, you’ve got some explaining to do. Debbie discusses why China should be denied the Olympic Games. A good reason also would be the slaves who have been discovered lately.
Related posts:
Yahoo and Internet censorship.
Google: legal problems with YouTube and losing share in China.
Google is something else aren’t they. And China is despicable. The human rights atrocities are unspeakable, and yet the US government says little.and even plans “military cooperation”. *spit*
Debbie
Right Truth
http://www.righttruth.typepad.com
Israel to attack Gaza – maybe
The report says that Israel is preparing to strike at Hamas in Gaza IF rocket attacks and/or suicide bombings resume. It looks like there may be another Summer War, but not with Lebanon this time. If the report is true,