Google plans censored version of search engine for China, claims report
02 Aug 2018
After having pulled out of China eight years ago (See: China blocks Google's search services), protesting against the country’s censorship and online hacking, Google is now reported to be working on a search app that will restrict content blacklisted by Beijing.
The Intercept, an online news site dedicated to ‘adversarial journalism’ claims that Google plans to launch a censored version of its search engine in China that will blacklist websites and search terms about human rights, democracy, religion, and peaceful protest.
Dubbed ‘Dragonfly,’ it has been underway since last year. The site claims that Google CEO Sundar Pichai met top Chinese officials in this regard.
Custom Android apps, called ‘Maotai’ and ‘Longfei’ have been designed and shown to the Chinese government and the final version is expected to be launched in about nine months, claims the site.
“The planned move represents a dramatic shift in Google’s policy on China and will mark the first time in almost a decade that the internet giant has operated its search engine in the country,” it adds.
Google joins a growing list of American tech companies who are now tailoring products for China, ignoring the curbs on free speech. They include Facebook, which developed software to curb some posts from appearing on the site, and LinkedIn, which censors its Chinese content.
Worried about the access to websites around the globe, Chinese authorities had blocked many of the sites with its ‘Great Firewall.’ Besides Facebook and Google, it also prevents access to Instagram, Twitter and even websites of publications including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.