Google stops censoring its Chinese websites
Just can’t wait to know the final outcome of Google-China dispute? Well, today Google announced that it has decided to stop censoring its Chinese websites. Yes, Chinese netizens can now access Google.cn freely, without having to worry about Chinese watchdogs. Users visiting Google.cn are now being redirected to Google.com.hk, where Google is offering uncensored search in simplified Chinese, specifically designed for users in mainland China and delivered via their servers in Hong Kong.
Google said, “Figuring out how to make good on our promise to stop censoring search on Google.cn has been hard. We want as many people in the world as possible to have access to our services, including users in mainland China, yet the Chinese government has been crystal clear throughout our discussions that self-censorship is a non-negotiable legal requirement. We believe this new approach of providing uncensored search in simplified Chinese from Google.com.hk is a sensible solution to the challenges we’ve faced—it’s entirely legal and will meaningfully increase access to information for people in China. We very much hope that the Chinese government respects our decision, though we are well aware that it could at any time block access to our services. We will therefore be carefully monitoring access issues.”
