Google is Poised to Close China Site
 

Read more here:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...J_Tech_LEADTop

By LORETTA CHAO and BEN WORTHEN

Google Inc. appears increasingly likely to shutter its Chinese-language search engine, a step that would remove one of the last major foreign players from the world's most populous and fastest-growing Internet market.

A person familiar with situation said on Saturday that Google is likely to take action within weeks. Separately, Chinese authorities on Friday told local news Web sites that Google's Chinese site is likely to close and that, if it does, the news sites will be required to use only official accounts of the situation, rather than publish stories from anywhere else, according to a person familiar with the order.

Google and Chinese authorities have been in talks about the extent to which the U.S. Internet giant will be able to operate a business in China if it follows through on its pledge two months ago to stop following government censorship requirements on its Chinese site, Google.cn. Those talks increasingly appear deadlocked, and Google's hopes for being able to operate Google.cn without filtering results?which were always thin?have all but disappeared.

On Friday, Minister of Industry and Information Technology Li Yizhong, asked by a reporter about Google's plan to stop filtering results, said doing so would be "irresponsible" and warned that the company would "have to bear the consequences" if it violates China's rules. His comments reinforced expectations that the authorities will force Google.cn to close if the company stops censoring it.

Google is acting like a snotty kid that needs a slap........

Not that im saying the hacking thing may not be a serious and good reason but how different is what theyre doing (ie planning on uncensoring results) to Bodog setting up operations and launching an online gambling site in the USA after the ban?

When in Rome, do as the romans do...... unbelievable that they could be that stupid but when you get as big as that you probably think you can throw your weight around.

Interesting.

Haha, someone lost a bet.

Aaahahahahahahah!

For google its not about being stupid its about money. If Google china returns results that have been censured, then the people will continue to use proxys and surf other SE's to get what they want. So the Google China site is a waste of time and money.

Chinese traffic is worth less than US, because China GDP per capita is less. Chinese surfers are less likely to pull out their credit cards to buy something.

The government there has done everything possible to limit their business. They have nothing to lose by leaving. I hope they do.

big opportunity for baidu

Bad for the people of China.

I wouldn't bend the practices of my company according the whim of communists... not in a million years.