My Experience of Google's Censorship
By Zhang Lin
Translated from the Chinese edition
Oct 02, 2004
http://english.epochtimes.com/news/4-10-2/23552.html
In the past, I always thought Google, the biggest search engine in the
world, was also the fairest. So no matter what messages I needed to
search, I always went first to the UltraReach Company's UltraReach.Net
[Editor's note: UltrarReach.net is a web server designed to enable the
user in mainland China to defeat the P.R.C.'s attempt to censor
internet content], and then used Google. But a few months ago, I found
there was something strange about Google.
For example, when I searched my own name "Zhang Lin" (the Chinese
Communist Party [CCP] blocked my name long ago), to my surprise I
found the first entry was a football player named Zhang Linbao. It is
impossible for the compiler in Google's Chinese Department not to have
found such an obvious mistake a long time ago. Moreover, Google listed
the entries related to "Zhang Lin" at 29,400 altogether. But when I
checked the entries from the beginning to the end with patience, I
found only 73 pages with 9 entries per page for a total of 657 entries.
When I searched to the last page, I suddenly found there was a link
called "repeat the search with the omitted results included." When I
clicked to open it, I suddenly discovered that I was in a new world.
The omitted entries included 100 pages, which were even more than the
entries really listed. Moreover, nearly all of the omitted content was
related to me. Apparently I was considered to be a main "deleted"
person (whoever is interested can check this for him or herself). At
that moment, the only thing I could think is that Google has been
penetrated by an agent of the CCP.
So several months ago, I planed to write an article to expose that
Google had been penetrated by an agent of the CCP. What I could not
believe was that Google had openly cooperated with the autocratic
regime of the CCP and destroyed the freedom of the network.
But recently I saw the series of articles that explained how Google
really had started to cooperate with the CCP. At the request of the
CCP, Google largely deleted the terms that the CCP intended to block.
This action has violated the basic principles of the network - free
access and fair treatment. The Chinese people have been deceived and
persecuted and their sources of information have been blockaded, by
the CCP for a long time. Google is obviously suspected of helping a
tyranny to do evil. Though Google remains the best Chinese search
engine, we have the right to require that Google act justly, which is
also good for Google's own healthy development.
A company that compromises with or even flatters an autocratic regime
may obtain a few benefits. Eventually, though, actions taken to help a
tyranny will be condemned by the public and a cost will be paid.
Generally speaking, such a company loses more than it gains. Swiss
Banks cooperated with the Nazis, granted loans to make munitions, and
swallowed up the Jews' accounts. But eventually justice was served.
This should be a cautionary tale for Google. Unless Google's current
leaders just want to reap some money and walk away, Google should
consider its long-term policy. Please, at the first sight of profits,
don't forget what is right and don't abandon basic principles.
Editor's Note: The filtering that Zhang Lin reports in this first
person account is of a different kind than what Google News China, a
service just begun on September 9, admitted to practicing in a
statement the week before last. Google News China does not allow the
client to see the "omitted results." Zhang Lin was able to see those
results.
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