Should Google withdraw from China over human rights and censorship concerns?
No government have the right to undermine human rights and censor news against them and Google is right to protest against it.
Recent developments in China reveal that the degree of censorship of news has increased to a large extent. Chinese authorities are blocking all news and information that they consider unwanted and trying to act as the guardian of people who they think to be immature. Though some amount of filtration may be agreed upon, what the Chinese authorities are doing cannot be supported. Arrest and jail of human activists in China is too high. To protest against all these, Google is justified in quitting China even though it is perhaps the largest market for a search engine.
Posted by: JaliyahFGoogle should not withdraw from China over human rights and censorship concerns, because if it does, Google will be censoring itself.
Censorship and human rights issues are terrible in China. But those issues are not reason enough for companies such as Google to withdraw from China. On the contrary, Google's presence will show the world that freedom is important, and everybody should pressure China to change its oppressive practices.
Posted by: l0olllooiEither be true to your motto or dump it.
Google states that their first objective is "Do no evil". Google to date has interpreted this as unlimited access to information, as they have said in the Western world and in argument against any censorship, such as against porn. If Google stays in China by agreeing to censor information on freedom and democracy, then they are supporting the illusions of an evil regime. Thus, they are supporting evil, contrary to their motto. Thus, they have a choice: live by your principles and leave China or be hypocritical and follow the profit motive. But if they want to "Do no evil", they can't do what the Chinese communists want.
Posted by: Pir4AndI think Google is sending a message to the Chinese government about freedom of information by withdrawing from China.
One of the best reasons to use Google's search engine is to enable the free exchange of information. Google is sending a message about human rights by withdrawing from China because they are saying that they are not willing to participate in a system that prohibits the free exchange of information. All people have a right to search the internet freely, and it is time that China stops limiting its citizens' right to information.
Posted by: NatBIabYes, because Google has the power to make a big statement in China by withdrawing itself from business there.
A company with as much global influence as Google could make a big statement by withdrawing their business from China. This business means a lot to China, and to other businesses in other countries of the world. Since companies would lose business revenue from of Google's withdrawal from China, there would be greater incentive for the world as a whole to work towards fixing these human rights and undue censorship concerns in China.
Posted by: MariaRGoogle should terminate service in China because China is against net neutrality.
Google should not have to be subject to Chinese censorship. Google makes so much money providing their service to other countries, it wouldn't touch their margins in the slightest. It's also a good stance for net neutrality, the idea that we shouldn't have censored or throttled Internet. By throttled I mean certain websites loading faster than others.
Posted by: RayEarSupport Democracy Abroad
Google should support democracy. It shouldn't stay in China for the money and allow the government to abuse its own citizens. It should also pull out of China for the safety of Google and Gmail account holders as the Chinese government may try to hack Google to tamper and cause problems.
Posted by: AnonymousGoogle should withdraw from China over human rights and censorship concerns.
Google should withdraw from China over human rights and censorship concerns based on the company's position on these issues. While trying to impose Google's values on China would be wrong, protesting China's violations without any follow-up action is more wrong. Profit motivation and morality are not mutually exclusive characteristics of a company. Any company should do the right thing.
Posted by: JamieMGoogle is not a by-stander.
Back in the days when slavery and segregation existed, there were many people who remained neutral at the civil right movements. These people are also known as by-standers. They know what was going on and they knew what was right and what was wrong. But they did not do anything which indirectly suggested their support for the oppositions. On the other hand, Google's action regrading the withdrawal from China demonstrates Google's support toward human rights instead of being a bystander. I strongly believe that Google made the right choice for not remaining silent and supporting every human's right.
Posted by: AnonymousYes, a company as large as Google has the power to affect the world, and should use that power responsibly.
Power comes with responsibility. Google should use that power responsibly. If Google does not withdraw from China over human rights issues and censorship, agreement with those policies is implied. Edward Burke once said, "All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing", and I believe that to be true, and it applies in this situation. Google may be a company, but it is made up of a lot of good men and women.
Posted by: B0rdKoolGoogle should withdraw from providing censored versions of its Web site because it's important to pressure the regime to respect personal freedoms.
China's turn toward a market economy in recent decades has improved the standard of living for hundreds of millions of its residents. Hopes that capitalism would promote democratic values, however, have gone unfulfilled, before and since the notorious massacre of June 1989. Since this strategy of "economic freedom first" has been tried and it has failed, it's high time to encourage the Chinese government with sticks as well as carrots, and Google's withdrawal from a sleazy censorious partnership with the government is an important example of a different approach.
Posted by: M4I4cFeIine
I disagree that Google should withdraw from China over censorship issues, because I feel they "jumped the gun".
I disagree that Google should withdraw from China over censorship issues. Google should give China a chance to redeem themselves, and to allow them to have Google available to their citizens, if they follow Google's rules, word for word.
Posted by: PriceyBlakeGoogle should not withdraw from China because it can be a good influence by remaining engaged.
It's better for Google to remain operating in China. By continuing its presence, it can have a positive influence on human rights and censorship even if it has to operate under current limits. If it withdraws, it makes it impossible to be an active player in creating a better future and it rewards advocates of censorship by leaving the arena.
Posted by: eitheneThe people of China need to be able to access information, so they can learn of these abuses.
I don't know the details of this case, but I think Google should do everything it can to establish and maintain a presence in China so that the Chinese people have the greatest access to information, including info. on these abuses. The best use of the Internet and Google is to inform and connect the world, after all, so this seems like something Google should fight for.
Posted by: Th4FireUnless Google also decides to withdraw from United States because of U.S. government injustices and corruption, it would be hypocritical for Google to stop doing business in China.
To object to China's human rights and censorship concerns is hypocritical. Let's clean up our own act first. Let's ponder over the news blackouts during the early stages of the Occupy Wall Street protests. Let's meditate over the ridiculous wage statistics: between 1980 and 2004, manufacturing wages fell 1%, while the income of the top one percent rose 135%. Psychopathic elites want to steal from our earned benefits (Social Security and Medicare) while tarring them as "entitlements." Unemployment remains at awful levels, while stock prices continue their climb. Corporate influence in government, recently aided by a recent Supreme Court decision, is out of control. How about government-approved torture? I could continue but it would be endless.
Posted by: SaltyTeddy74I disagree; everyone should have access to Google for research.
The debate makes a good point and probably something that will go on for years in China. But I believe that everyone should have access to Google. Keep in mind there are school kids there who probably do online research and Google is one of the best resources for this.
Posted by: jabchick2The U.S. government trades with China, despite human rights and censorship concerns, so a private company is under no obligation to withdraw.
China has a long history of dubious ethical behavior, human rights violations, and censorship laws. The U.S. government ignores these concerns, and trades with China. A private business has less obligation to boycott a country, based on these concerns, than a government does, so Google should run their business in China as they wish.
Posted by: TrashyBrain42Google censors the American internet right on Google.com
Why should Google withdraw from China when they are guilty of the same censorship right in America? Now a simple google images search fails to return one explicit result, and turning off the safe search filter still wont fetch you any. They are tyrants who are censoring us right in America, then point the finger at the Chinese. Google Inc is full of hypocrites.
Posted by: AnonymousNo
Google is a corporation whose goal is to do business, they dont have to adhere to moral codes or humanitarian standings because not even national governments do that. If they withdrew it wouldnt accomplish anything since China is still massively on the rise, it is a great business opportunity for Google to invest in China since it is the largest country in the world population wise and it is rapidly modernizing. Google doesnt have to take a moral stance on this issue, and they shouldnt want to since China is a massive opportunity for them to make money
Posted by: imabenchGoogle Withdrawing from China is not the Right way to protest
Google withdrawing from China is doing more of an inservice to the people whose rights they are trying to protect, cutting off their supply to a reliable search engine. Even though they may not be getting all of the results, but at least they get any at all.
Posted by: AnonymousGoogle should not withdraw from China over human rights concerns as it is unlikely to benefit either Google or the campaign for human rights in any way.
The situation regarding the censorship of Google in China is unfortunate, but Google withdrawing from the country will not help either Google or the campaign for human rights. The best thing for Google to do is remain in China and continue to operate as best as possible while continuing to lobby the Chinese government for change. This is the only way Google can help itself and also have any impact on human rights efforts in China.
Posted by: EminentBennett93