Sergey’s Mea Culpa on Google Censorship in China
Sergey Brin admitted that Google may have taken the wrong course in choosing to censor search results in China. He also suggested that Google may eventually shutdown its China-based censored service, if they choose to take a “principled approach”, but acknowledge that the “principled approach” is not the course Google is currently taking.
It’s an interesting mea culpa. Brin is straight forward in saying that Google is doing the wrong thing, but he also states that the company will not change its current practices. Brin merely suggests that Google may stop its censorship practice in the future and end its operations in China, a bit of a veiled threat.
Brin’s attempt at diplomacy acknowledges the other point of view without making any substantive changes, while at the same time sending a message to the Chinese government that if it wants Google, then it will need to give some concessions on its censorship practices.
I’m actually beginning to feel a bit of a warm spot in my heart again for the old Sergeymiester. Time will tell as to whether Google will take a more principled approach, and engage the Chinese government to push for positive change.
Here’s what Sergey said:
We felt that perhaps we could compromise our principles but provide ultimately more information for the Chinese and be a more effective service and perhaps make more of a difference.
Perhaps now the principled approach makes more sense.
It’s perfectly reasonable to do something different, to say: ‘Look, we’re going to stand by the principle against censorship, and we won’t actually operate there.’ That’s an alternate path.
It’s not where we chose to go right now, but I can sort of see how people came to different conclusions about doing the right thing.
