Google on moral high ground
2010-01-15 13:31
San Francisco - In drawing a battle line with Chinese internet censors, Google is reclaiming a "Don't Be Evil" mantle lost in a global business arena where profits routinely trump morals.
While critics challenge whether Google's motivation is altruistic, the search engine seized the high ground by declaring it will not filter query results in China even at the price of being shut out of the booming market.
"I do think a good part of this is they want to do the right thing," Silicon Valley analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group said of Google. "But none of these decisions are simple."
Google announced on Tuesday that it would stop bowing to Chinese internet censors and could pull out of the world's largest online market of 360 million users.
Internet rights activists are hoping that such a stand by an internet company of Google's stature will reverse the practice of technology firms siding with government censors as a price of admission to China.
Strategy
"I do think that Google is a bit idealistic; they have a streak there," said Colin Maclay, managing director of the Berkman Centre for Internet and Society at Harvard University.
"They also have a streak of arrogance and of pride; and they have a big streak of strategy. They're really smart. At least thus far, they've come out smelling like a rose."
The new stand on China hearkens back to days after Google was launched in 1998, when the California firm founded by college students Sergey Brin and Larry Page coined an unofficial motto of "Don't Be Evil".
An "Our Philosophy" page at Google's corporate website on Thursday outlined principles including "You can make money without doing evil."
Google's saintly image was tarnished in 2006 when it launched a self-censored version of its search engine in China to appease the Communist regime.
It has been further impugned by controversies involving tracking people's online behaviour to target advertising; indexing copyrighted works such as news stories, and trying to digitise all the books in the world.
"Google believes that one of its asset values is righteousness," said Gartner vice president and analyst Whit Andrews.
"It believes if it was not righteous, it would not make as much money as it does."
Aid
Google announced on Thursday it is donating a million dollars and internet technology to relief organisations on the ground in Haiti to help in the aftermath of a deadly 7.0 magnitude earthquake.
During recent international climate talks in Copenhagen, Google unveiled a free tool for monitoring deforestation around the world. Google also provides an online service that lets people track the spread of flu viruses.
The company has also offered a free tool that allows users to control energy consumption in homes and an initiative to cheaper renewable energy.
A "20 percent" programme at Google allows workers to devote one paid day weekly to outside causes.
Google executives agonised over the decision to make compromises to get into the China market.
At the time, the company argued a short-term sacrifice would result in long-term good by opening China up to an internet lifestyle of limitless information.
"Google went in saying we're going to do this responsibly and hopefully we can do more good than harm," Maclay said.
"Now, they are annoyed. They were pissed off at being jerked around a whole bunch and they don't like it. I totally respect their decision to depart."
Corporate ethos
China-based cyber spies struck Google and at least 30 other unidentified firms in apparent bids to steal intellectual property and hack into the e-mail accounts of rights activists around the world, according to security experts.
"Google is establishing this as a moment when they can draw a line," Andrews said.
"They got hacked even though they censored themselves against their corporate ethos."
The short term cost to Google is relatively small, according to analysts. Google has been losing ground to Chinese search engines and has no major investments in facilities there.
The move makes Google a champion in Western countries where it earns the bulk of its money, and could make the company a less tempting target for anti-trust regulators. US political leaders have praised Google for defending internet freedom in China.
"If you are the hero of the current administration, no one wants to be the bureaucrat taking that hero down," Enderle said. "It would be impolitic for someone to go after Google at this time."
Google could formally exit China, then make a deal for a partner to deliver its search services in that country.
"If China came to a point in the next 10 to 20 years where censorship ends, even with a slow retreat, Google's stand will be remembered," Andrews said.
- SAPA