PJ China Syndrome

Background

2008-03-09T02:02:22Z

The jewels of American hightech - Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and Cisco - have been criticized for coopearting with the totalitarian regime of the People's Republic of China, which, in the case of Yahoo, may have resulted in the longterm incarceration of a dissident. China Syndrome blog examines the ramifications.

Special Pajamas Media coverage: exclusive video interview with Congressman Tom Lantos (D-San Mateo,CA)

Congressman Lantos takes on the high tech big boys

2007-02-25T01:46:49Z

When Rep. Tom Lantos (D-San Mateo) invited representatives of Google, Yahoo, Microsoft and Cisco to explain to the Congressional Human Rights Caucus their cooperation with the repressive policies of the Chinese government, they didn't even bother to show up. Undaunted, Lantos then invited them to testify to a select committee of the House Committee on International Relations. Under threat of subpoena, the companies' people had to appear for that. Here are excerpts from that hearing and an exclusive Pajamas Media interview with Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor currently serving in the US Congress.

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Windows Media Player version.

Google isn't evil

2006-02-28T15:37:03Z

Google's decision to censor search results in China in order to gain entry into the Chinese market is not the preferable state of affairs. Lovers of freedom deplore state censorship wherever and whenever it happens. But the company is not evil -- and its compromise is better than not doing business in China at all.

Let's say a contractor had the tools and materials to build the sturdiest modern structure, but the local building code required less-than-perfect construction. Would putting up a structure as required by local code be "evil"? Nothing of the sort.

By their logic, though, critics of Google's engagement with China would rather see people freeze in the cold than take shelter in substandard housing.

Don't regulate the search engines, except in one small way

2006-02-15T16:49:57Z

This, however, is a very bad idea:

The subcommittee's chairman, Representative Christopher H. Smith, Republican of New Jersey, plans to introduce legislation by week's end that would restrict an Internet company's ability to censor or filter basic political or religious terms — even if that puts the company at odds with local laws in the countries where it now operates.

This is a bad idea for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that it will hurt, rather than help, the very people it is trying to support. But I'll get back to that in a bit.

AOL's Uncensored Chinese Portal

2006-02-14T15:57:07Z

Fascinating. With Google, Yahoo! Microsoft and Cisco about to be called on the carpet in Congress on Wednesday, AOL releases a new Chinese-language portal. It focuses on culture and sports, with a major feature being downloadable Chinese movies. But the target audience is – at least officially – meant to be the Chinese-speaking community in the United States.

I can confirm: the search engine on this portal is uncensored.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington again (just in time for the Academy Awards)

2006-02-11T21:45:59Z

Google, Cisco, Microsoft, Yahoo and the entire China enabling Internet crew are headed for some interesting hearings in Washington, thanks, in part, to a new Mr. Smith:

"I was asked the question the other day, do U.S. corporations have the obligation to promote democracy? That's the wrong question," says Rep. Chris Smith, the New Jersey Republican and chairman of the House human-rights subcommittee that is holding the hearing. "It would be great if they would promote democracy. But they do have a moral imperative and a duty not to promote dictatorship."

The Free Speech Quandry: Chinese Crackdown Continues

2006-02-11T21:37:12Z

Given all the recent attention on free speech rights sparked by the publication of 12 Danish cartoons in a small Danish newspaper that morphed into a huge riotfest throughout parts of the Islamic world, the continued Chinese crackdown on free speech has slipped under the radar.

Yahoo! in China and Degrees of Evil

2006-02-10T15:36:59Z

The intrepid Roland Soong of the ESWN blog points out that Reporters Without Borders has gotten some facts wrong in its latest press release on Yahoo!’s role in the jailing of yet another Chinese dissident, Li Zhi – a release which I reproduced on my blog yesterday.

Do No Evil

2006-02-09T03:24:25Z

Consider the evil in the Google motto (those who do not recognize that our choice is often only to do the lesser evil, often do the greater evil), and ask yourself if Google is doing any evil when it simply posts (thus neither actively defending free speech nor taking any responsibility for what it hosts) the following warning on a blog, in response to the ire of leftists and Muslims:

CONTENT WARNING
Some readers of this blog have contacted Google because they believe this blog's content is hateful. In general, Google does not review nor do we endorse the content of this or any blog. For more information about this message, please consult our FAQ.

Yahoo! Helped Jail another Chinese Cyberdissident

2006-02-09T00:04:54Z

I just received the press release below e-mailed from Reporters Without Borders. The BBC also has a story here.

My initial reaction: A company that cares about human rights should not put user data in jurisdictions where full compliance with the law makes collaboration with human rights violations inevitable.

Microsoft Revises Blog Censorship Policy

2006-02-04T01:20:08Z

Since the beginning of the year, both Microsoft and Google have seen self-inflicted public relations disasters stem from their decisions to censor political content deemed inconvenient by the Chinese government. Now, Microsoft has decided to make its censorship policy ever-so-slightly-less-offensive

You Can't Stop The Signal

2006-02-02T14:51:35Z

Google is a company that we Speculists generally have a lot of respect for. Almost anytime I use my computer, I use Google.

We understand that Google is motivated by profit just like any other company, but they have usually had the good sense to pursue profit in ways that help people. Google's motto, "Don't be evil" might come across as a bit too precious, but it also has the benefit of being easy to understand.

Unfortunately it's not always easy to live up to.

Some grown-up questions for Google

2006-02-02T14:10:40Z

So it turns out Google is evil after all. Like a toddler who's just caught Santa beating up his little helper round the back of the grotto, the geek community reacted as one when Google entered the Chinese market with its censored google.cn service last Wednesday. Anger and disbelief quickly gave way to a sense of abandonment and fear, and as Daddy sat us down for a grown-up talk about publicly-owned companies, market economies and shareholder rights, we felt our tiny little world dissolve into a new, scarier reality. Now we've all had our little cry, what next?

It's time to start asking a few grown-up questions.

Microsoft changes position on Chinese bloggers!

2006-02-01T23:42:57Z

Today is a day for good news! Freedom for Chinese people is of course tied up with freedom for Chinese bloggers, and microsoft have made a potentially costly decision which I applaud.

True colors

2006-02-01T22:33:48Z

Google is making a sacrifice, and a big one at that, risking its democratic image for more access in a country that will contribute very little business in the near future. Right move for shareholders? Possibly. Ironic move? Yes. Noble move? Hardly. Maybe China's riches are worth it. I don't think so. But when you've tasted billions -- like Brin and Page -- I guess you can hire a boatload of attorneys to justify any choices you make.