Google.cn -- the Chinese language version of the search portal -- debuted Wednesday with the company acknowledging the balancing act it was attempting to perform.

"In order to operate from China, we have removed some content from the search results available on Google.cn, in response to local law, regulation or policy," a Google statement said.

However, it appears the filter only works if you can spell:

images.google.com: tiananmen http://images.google.com/images?q=tiananmen
images.google.cn: tiananmen http://images.google.cn/images?q=tiananmen
images.google.cn: tienanmen http://images.google.cn/images?q=tienanmen

1/30/2006 9:58:01 AM

hah awesome. gg google

1/30/2006 9:59:20 AM

I see nothing wrong with this. Google is doing what is best for business.

1/30/2006 10:02:08 AM

haha, wow.

1/30/2006 10:03:13 AM

who said anything was wrong with this?

this is awesome

1/30/2006 10:05:38 AM

damn that is fucked up.... yea good for bus. but sure does suck to be alive....

1/30/2006 10:08:19 AM

wtf, i can't go to google.cn, it redirects me to google.com every time.

and the japan version works so well...

1/30/2006 10:13:02 AM

id like to note that a search on penis:

1) works
2) comes up with the nastiest shit ive ever seen

regulate that shit china. leave the vomitous pics to the us.

1/30/2006 10:23:38 AM

wouldn't the search bring up different results while searching in china?

this is kinda funny.
http://www.markfiore.com/animation/search.html


[Edited on January 30, 2006 at 11:35 AM. Reason : /]

1/30/2006 11:20:51 AM

doing what's good for business at the expense of human rights

well, at least the bottom line will do ok.

1/30/2006 12:43:20 PM

There's a lot to be said for letting TV and the internet and consumerism change China on the sinister rather than getting in a big fight over it and forcing them to reaffirm their posotion.

1/30/2006 12:45:57 PM

yeah, except china's bending to them, rather than changing things. If this is part of some master plan by google to slowly open up the internet to china without their noticing it, I'll be impressed, but I don't have that much faith

1/30/2006 12:48:50 PM

Some google guy was on NPR a few weeks ago and he basically said that they thought it was better for China to have some internet than no internet at all, and so they would work within their boundaries while they had to.

I'm sure the getting paid part isn't hurting them, though. It's hard to say what their true intentions are.

1/30/2006 12:56:15 PM

Their true intentions are pleasing the stockholders, as those are the only people that SHOULD matter to Google.

1/30/2006 1:01:48 PM

Isn't this another example in the gov interfering with business? Don't you hate that?

1/30/2006 1:47:53 PM

^^ I thought you were serious at first. Got me

1/30/2006 3:35:26 PM

Protostar, as I understand a majority of Google's stock is still held by the original founders and still managers of the company. So, again, Google does whatever they want.

1/30/2006 3:56:02 PM

If the chinese web user goes to google.com do they get unfiltered results?

1/30/2006 3:56:56 PM

^No. They used to get re-directed to government approved websites.
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/filtering/china/google-replacements/
Now, I am sure it is just directed to google.cn

They do not have the same access to the internet like we do. They monitor everything. If you post anything anti-government they delete your post, and mention something about forbidden language, then come and arrest you.

The only thing they do allow is piracy of all our software. Here is a link to a university website where you can download everythng you want. You need a password though. Oh and the software is NOT legit because they come with help files explaing how to apply the crack.
http://www.twt.edu.cn/software/

[Edited on January 30, 2006 at 4:23 PM. Reason : .]

1/30/2006 4:18:45 PM

http://images.google.cn/images?svnum=10&hl=zh-CN&lr=&cr=countryCN&q=porn&btnG=%E6%90%9C%E7%B4%A2

searching for porn on the chinese google site displays

1/30/2006 5:34:24 PM

im sure the chinks would be searching for "porn"

1/30/2006 11:25:17 PM

now you know how they discourage porn in china.

1/31/2006 6:27:02 PM

Quote :

"Protostar, as I understand a majority of Google's stock is still held by the original founders and still managers of the company. So, again, Google does whatever they want."

you do realize that Protostar is COMPLETELY right and what you said proves his point?

1/31/2006 8:10:33 PM

Quote :

"Protostar, as I understand a majority of Google's stock is still held by the original founders and still managers of the company. So, again, Google does whatever they want."

Didn't know that. I don't blame them for bowing to Chinas wishes. I would do the same. Profit comes first in all circumstances.

Quote :

" I thought you were serious at first. Got me"

I am very serious.

1/31/2006 8:45:50 PM