Google vs. China timeline: can search giant thwart communist superpower?
Posted on | June 29, 2010 | add a comment
Google has just acquiesced to China’s demand that it stop automatically redirecting Chinese citizens to Google’s Hong Kong website.
“It’s clear from conversations we have had with Chinese government officials that they find the redirect unacceptable—and that if we continue redirecting users our Internet Content Provider license will not be renewed,” says David Drummond, Google’s Chief Legal Officer.
This is China’s latest counter punch — and a strong indicator that Google may lose in its efforts to thwart Chinese censorship. And it may also have to kiss good-bye any hopes of getting big revenue from search advertisers desiring to tap the huge Chinese market.
This all stems from the security breach Google disclosed on 12January2010, which led to the search giant’s shutting down its Beijing offices, and redirecting Chinese search traffic to its Hong Kong facility.
Checkmated, chip bullied
Can a behemoth U.S. corporation best the planet’s richest authoritarian superpower? Internet consultant Andy Beal is the editor of Marketing Pilgrim and CEO of Trackur. Here is Beal’s take:
Google is playing a game of chess with China. Unfortunately for Google, it’s playing with just its king and a bishop and it’s only a matter of time before the Chinese government declares checkmate. At this stage, it’s clear that Google doesn’t know what tactic will actually result in it being able to keep its presence in China. It makes one change and the Chinese government ultimately makes its move. It’s as if Google hopes that by frustrating the Chinese government it will be able to present a solution that will ultimately be acceptable.
Anthony Migyanka is Managing Partner at Mobile Money Minute. Here’s Migyanka’s take:
Right now, in poker terms, China is acting like a “chip bully,” forcing everyone in on weaker hands, not necessarily because China has a stronger hand, but because they have more chips (the law, money) on their side right now. China needs a real awful collapse, perhaps of their banking system, or their housing market, something financial, that takes them out of the chip lead to change the balance of power. I don’t know when or if that will happen any time soon.
This chronology of developments should help you do your own handicapping:
2010
- June 29. Associated Press reports on Google acquiescing to China’s demand to stop redirects to Hong Kong site
- June 28. Google explains in this blog post why it is halting automatic Hong Kong redirects, replacing it with one-click redirects
- Apr. 21. New York Times reveals hackers breached Google’s Gaia password system
- Mar. 30. Journalists in China complain about Yahoo accounts hacked
- Mar. 30. Google changes its explanation of the cause of glitches plaguing Hong Kong redirect
- Mar. 25. USA TODAY founder Al Neuharth pens editorial saying Google is gutsy to spit in China’s eye
- Mar. 23. Google shuts down Beijing facility, pulls out of China
- Mar. 15. Google share price drops on reports of imminent China pull out
- Jan. 27. Tech Herald describes why conventional message trickery likely used to breach Google
- Jan. 26. Zscaler discovers tainted Chinese government website that could have infected Google employee
- Jan. 25. USA TODAY reports on wider backdrop of China’s ascent to Western-style economic success
- Jan. 18. Hackers probably social engineered a Google employee to gain access to its databases
- Jan. 13. USA TODAY reports on Google’s decision to play hardball with China, ostensibly over censorship
- Jan. 12. Google announces it may pull out of China
- Jan. 12. Google apologizes to Chinese book authors
By Byron Acohido