Googles Chinese compromise?

Google has announced a "new approach" in its ongoing battle with China over censorship.

Until recently, the firm automatically redirected Chinese users to its unfiltered search site in Hong Kong to get round censorship issues.

Google has said it will now stop this after Beijing warned it could lose its licence to operate in the country.

Instead, Chinese users will be sent to a "landing page". Clicking anywhere on it sends them to the Hong Kong site.

Google said it was hopeful that this subtle change - where users have to actively click on a link to access unfiltered search results rather than being automatcially redirected - would allow it to continue operating in China.

BBC News - Google in 'new approach' on China

Be interesting to see if principles start to wain over potential revenue, with a huge Chinese potential audience, its soon going to be an online gold rush

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This is more complicated than at first appears. Seems that it is Google/Western/USA/Freedom against Eastern/Chinese/Dictatorship and there is some validity in that perspective, but don't forget that Google is also a bit of a dictator: collecting private information etc.

As we see with the author/copying books universally issue; Google's modus operandi is to do whatever it wants and then send lawyers against any resistance. This is not freedom.

In conclusion, beware of the Google PR process. But also be aware of Chinese dictatorship. It's not a one-sided/dimensional good vs evil issue.

I think its necessary for both China & Google to compromise on the matter because as China is one of the biggest market for Google & the Google is the most efficient search engine in world so their growth is equally depends on each other.