FROM a technical perspective, Google鈥檚 exit from China in the early hours of 22 March was a low-key affair. Google simply disconnected its self-censored search engine in Beijing, and rerouted its traffic to an uncensored search engine in Hong Kong. Google says attacks on the email accounts of dissidents, which it believes came from the Chinese authorities, made it impossible for it to continue operating there.
By moving its service to Hong Kong, where the censorship laws that apply to the rest of China are not enforced, Google has been able to continue providing a service without having to censor search results. 鈥淲e are now censoring nothing,鈥� Google鈥檚 legal officer says.
That doesn鈥檛 mean Chinese citizens can now get uncensored results. Anyone accessing from mainland China will encounter China鈥檚 own 鈥済reat firewall鈥�, which blacklists websites related to controversial subjects, like the Falun Gong religious sect or the protests in Tiananmen Square.
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Google has faced a barrage of criticism since it agreed to censor searches in China after setting up shop there in early 2006. Now some campaigners think good may come of Google鈥檚 anti-censorship move.
鈥淥ne can be very cynical about Google鈥檚 motivations but what they have done is going to have a very significant impact,鈥� says Jo Glanville, who edits the journal of the campaigning group in London. She thinks the ethical spotlight will now fall heavily on companies such as Microsoft and Yahoo, which continue to abide by China鈥檚 censorship laws.
The great firewall includes a thicket of content-filtering internet routers known as the Golden Shield. Strangely, though, content sometimes gets through 鈥� hinting that the system has weaknesses. Microsoft refused to comment on what it censors on behalf of China 鈥� but Google has first-hand experience of the great firewall and some hope it may be persuaded to reveal some of its secrets.
Simon Davies, founder of London-based pressure group , is now challenging Google to reveal the technology it once used at China鈥檚 behest. 鈥淭hat way, we can understand the nature of the beast and, perhaps, develop circumvention measures so there can be an opening up of communications.鈥�
鈥淭hat would be a dossier of extraordinary importance to human rights,鈥� Davies says. Google has yet to respond to his call.
