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Google Is Handing the Future of the Internet to China

foreignpolicy.com

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Re: Google Is Handing the Future of the Internet to China

#31

Post by zapita »

O1111OOO wrote: post #10

Once a company becomes comfortable with censorship, search manipulation in the name of their own politically motivated agenda... censorship and search manipulation can be repackaged if the price is right. There are many here (as well as those 1,400 Googlers who signed the letter) who turned a blind-eye toward censorship and public manipulation when they agreed with the politics. This is the end result. Sadly... it's…

What are you referring to? Your reference to politics seem to come out of nowhere, is there context for it that we’re missing?

Re: Google Is Handing the Future of the Internet to China

#33

Post by StreakyCobra »

j88439h84 wrote: post #17
StreakyCobra wrote: post #12

«In May, Google quietly removed “Don’t be evil” from the text of its corporate code of conduct, deleting a catchphrase that had been associated with the company since 2000.» So it is now official, Google can not longer be considered as "not Evil". And we know this thanks to this sentence that has finally served as a warrant canary.

"And remember… don’t be evil, and if you see something that you think isn’t right – speak up! Last updated July 31, 2018" https://abc.xyz/investor/other/google-code-of-conduct.html

Yes, the article linked [1] also mentions it. But it also shows what have been removed, such as:

«“Don’t be evil.” Googlers generally apply those words to how we serve our users. But “Don’t be evil” is much more than that. Yes, it’s about providing our users unbiased access to information, focusing on their needs and giving them the best products and services that we can. But it’s also about doing the right thing more generally – following the law, acting honorably, and treating co-workers with courtesy and respect.»

The fact they removed this (e.g. "providing our users unbiased access to information") and that they are now setting up a censored version of their search engine shows that everything that they have removed in there should now be considered as deprecated.

[1] https://gizmodo.com/google-removes-nearly-all-mentions-of-do...

Re: Google Is Handing the Future of the Internet to China

#34

Post by zapita »

faag39 wrote: post #22
wildebaard wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What makes you say there is no freedom of speech in the EU? I also live there but I do not experience it like that.

Saying something racist, homophobic, denying the holocaust, etc. can very well have you fined or even land you in prison.

Ah, you mean there is free speech and also reasonably scoped restrictions on hate speech. I’m okay with that. Do you have an example to share that shows how that is a bad thing in practice? Because I’n having trouble finding one.

Re: Google Is Handing the Future of the Internet to China

#35

Post by batty_alex »

faag39 wrote: post #22
wildebaard wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What makes you say there is no freedom of speech in the EU? I also live there but I do not experience it like that.

Saying something racist, homophobic, denying the holocaust, etc. can very well have you fined or even land you in prison.

Consider this perspective: that's protecting the freedoms of the people that are hurt by that kind of hate speech.

Re: Google Is Handing the Future of the Internet to China

#36

Post by pjc50 »

wildebaard wrote: post #15
faag39 wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I live in the EU where there's no freedom of speech and Google and the rest of tech companies are already being told about what they have to censor. I don't see how this is anything new. It's only in the news because it's China.

What makes you say there is no freedom of speech in the EU? I also live there but I do not experience it like that.

Of course this is nonsense. It's not completely unconstrained speech, but freedom of expression is right there in ECHR.

" Article 10 – Freedom of expression

1. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This article shall not prevent States from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, television or cinema enterprises.

2. The exercise of these freedoms, since it carries with it duties and responsibilities, may be subject to such formalities, conditions, restrictions or penalties as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society, in the interests of national security, territorial integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, for the protection of the reputation or rights of others, for preventing the disclosure of information received in confidence, or for maintaining the authority and impartiality of the judiciary."

Re: Google Is Handing the Future of the Internet to China

#37

Post by lnsru »

faag39 wrote: post #22
wildebaard wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What makes you say there is no freedom of speech in the EU? I also live there but I do not experience it like that.

Saying something racist, homophobic, denying the holocaust, etc. can very well have you fined or even land you in prison.

Sadly I cannot downvote this couple hours fresh troll account:-(

Re: Google Is Handing the Future of the Internet to China

#38

Post by bushin »

peteretep wrote: post #29
xbmcuser wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most of them already do this the slippery slope was started with Europe with it's right to be forgotten US with its Dmca. It's funny how many people have forgotten this if those things can be censored by Google because of these countries laws why is results cencsoring for China under Chinese laws is any different.

Because Chinese laws are intended to stifle debate and oppress human rights, where the EU laws protect privacy, and the US ones protect intellectual property?

"It should be noted that no ethically-trained software engineer would ever consent to write a DestroyBaghdad procedure. Basic professional ethics would instead require him to write a DestroyCity procedure, to which Baghdad could be given as a parameter"

Re: Google Is Handing the Future of the Internet to China

#40

Post by apatters »

f055 wrote: post #32

We've seen this before. AOL was a monster on a ledge, and it fell. Google is a monster on a ledge, and it will fall. Funny enough, it's the ledge(r) that will bury it. All hail Internet 3.0 :P

I tend to feel the same way (in principle though not convinced it will be because of "Dweb" tech). I've been using searx.me for a year or so. This is a metasearch engine based on open source software, anyone can run an instance of it. I get a mix of results from Google, Bing and DuckDuckGo. It tells me which results come from which engine and I don't think it would be a big deal if Google started censoring stuff, or if it was removed altogether.

If Google starts censoring results in the US or EU with clear political motives, a Searx instance will be clearly superior (probably Bing and DDG standalone will be too). Many people will switch and search will become a more competitive market all of a sudden.

I'm not pro-censorship and I think Google censoring results for China would be disgusting. But if they migrate the practice to Western democracies I think they'll basically commit suicide. (Therefore they probably won't do it.)

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