Google says they are reconsidering their relationship with China, based on cyber-attacks they have experienced, as well as regime attempts to target Chinese human rights and democracy activists.
But not everybody is convinced of Google's sincerity. I'm not as cynical as this guy. I don't think Google just realized that they call it totalitarianism for a reason. But I am inclined to believe they have learned some lessons in three years about the nature of the regime. They need not have any base, profit-driven motive for drawing a line in the sand for the Chinese government. It's not as though China is a huge revenue source for the company.
UPDATE 1/13: WaPo - Google China cyberattack part of vast espionage campaign
More at Hot Air
UPDATE 1/14: via Slashdot, a report that VeriSign researchers have determined that the cyberattacks were in fact carried out by "agents of the Chinese state or proxies thereof."
UPDATE 1/15: Another FP article says censorship may be an excuse for China to monopolize their Internet industry
Posted by dan at January 13, 2010 10:34 PM | TrackBack