Google Censorship in China

Filed in archive Misc on December 11, 2011

© T U R K A I R O

Because of zealous censorship in China, those in the country who try to search Google for "the Tienanmen Square massacre" have been met with disappointment.

The results of these searches have been at best a dead end and at worst result in outright lies and government propaganda pages. Instead of viewing images of dead bodies and social protest, Chinese users see only peaceful images of the modern-day square. Google has posted a simple disclaimer on these results pages saying "According to local laws, regulations and policies, some search results are not shown." Google has been forced to resort to self-censorship in the country in a way that is viewed by many in the west as capitulation. Since Google.cn launched in 2006, the relationship between the search giant and the Chinese state has been contentious. Google has explained that its options have amounted to either giving in or facing imminent blackout, and it has chosen the former.