Google in China
Introduction
Google was founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, as “a superior search-engine technology to find and organize information on the Web” (Quelch, 1). Google’s mission is “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful” (Quelch, 1). Google prides itself in providing search results in order of relevance and not paid sponsorship and identifies “paid advertising links as sponsored” (Quelch, 2). However, Google’s main revenue sources are its two advertising products; Adwords and Adsense. In addition to all of its Google products, Google has gone mobile with its smart phones. Google entered the Chinese market in 2000, with a Chinese-language version of Google.com. In 2006, it developed Google.cn, its China-based website. China’s major competitor in China was Baidu. Baidu, a Chinese-owned search-engine company, also gained revenue from ad sales. Google’s China entry required it to overcome cultural barriers, especially with the Chinese government. For example, Google’s first government relations point person in China was fired because she gave ipods to Chinese officials, a common practice in business negotiations in China, but it violates the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (Levy). However, In June 2009, of the 338 million Chinese Internet users, 24% of them used Google. As Google’s presence in China continued to grow, it approached another obstacle when China’s censorship policy was not consistent with Google’s unwillingness to tolerate censorship (Quelch, 3).
Statement issued by Google on January 12, 2010
In January 2010, Google detected highly sophisticated attacks originating from China on its computer systems and those of other companies. The main objective of the hackers’ attack was to “access email accounts of Chinese human rights activist” (Quelch, 1). In addition, the Chinese government had continued to try and limit free speech on the web. Google, a company that promotes free speech and whose core
Google was founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, as “a superior search-engine technology to find and organize information on the Web” (Quelch, 1). Google’s mission is “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful” (Quelch, 1). Google prides itself in providing search results in order of relevance and not paid sponsorship and identifies “paid advertising links as sponsored” (Quelch, 2). However, Google’s main revenue sources are its two advertising products; Adwords and Adsense. In addition to all of its Google products, Google has gone mobile with its smart phones. Google entered the Chinese market in 2000, with a Chinese-language version of Google.com. In 2006, it developed Google.cn, its China-based website. China’s major competitor in China was Baidu. Baidu, a Chinese-owned search-engine company, also gained revenue from ad sales. Google’s China entry required it to overcome cultural barriers, especially with the Chinese government. For example, Google’s first government relations point person in China was fired because she gave ipods to Chinese officials, a common practice in business negotiations in China, but it violates the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (Levy). However, In June 2009, of the 338 million Chinese Internet users, 24% of them used Google. As Google’s presence in China continued to grow, it approached another obstacle when China’s censorship policy was not consistent with Google’s unwillingness to tolerate censorship (Quelch, 3).
Statement issued by Google on January 12, 2010
In January 2010, Google detected highly sophisticated attacks originating from China on its computer systems and those of other companies. The main objective of the hackers’ attack was to “access email accounts of Chinese human rights activist” (Quelch, 1). In addition, the Chinese government had continued to try and limit free speech on the web. Google, a company that promotes free speech and whose core
Cited: • "Google Agrees to Censor Results in China." Msnbc.com. N.p., 25 Jan. 2006. Web. 01 Oct. 2013. • Helft, Miguel, and David Barboza. "Google Shuts China Site in Dispute Over Censorship." n. page. Web. 2 Oct. 2013.