US congressman takes Google to task on China

[Nutmegger]

Google will be called to task in Washington next month following a controversial decision by the internet search engine to launch a China-based version of its website that will censor results to avoid angering the country’s Communist governnment.

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The decision by Chris Smith, a Republican congressman from New Jersey who chairs a House subcommittee on Human Rights, to call for a February 16 hearing to examine the operating procedures of US internet companies in China, represents the first signs of what could become a serious backlash against Google and other internet companies in Washington that are perceived as capitulating to the Chinese government.

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News about the congressional hearing came just hours after another lawmaker, Democratic senator Patrick Leahy, spoke out on another issue that has enveloped Google in recent days: the company’s refusal to comply with a subpeona by the Justice Department that would require it to hand over toe the government extensive records about the way people use the company’s search engine.

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In a letter to attorney general Alberto Gonzales, Mr Leahy demanded more information about four subpoenas to major internet companies, including how the DOJ intended to use the information while protecting privacy rights, and whether the DOJ planned to request further information from the companies.

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Full article: http://news.ft.com/cms/s/e3f999fe-8dfc-11da-8fda-0000779e2340.html

[niyad]

1. a republlican rebuking someone on free speech? that is almost funny.

[Nutmegger]

2. Isn't it?

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

[anotherdrew]

3. every single other company does what china wants too. microsoft for one

I didn't hear any

Republican Pricks

complaining about the fact that every single US company involved with China MUST comply with Chinese laws, like them or not.

[Nutmegger]

4. Exactly

MSN censors blogs, Yahoo censors - they all do it. Hmmmm, I wonder if it's because Google has resisted... - nawwwww!!!

[anotherdrew]

6. yes, and all that "know how" can be imported here at the drop of a hat

that's what really bothers me, now they all have the 'technology' in place, how long before the are forced or decide to bring the same "features" to their US sites? hopefully won't happen, but who know where the bushnuts will go next. Also, I can see them setting it up as a "opt in" form of censorship, with people sold that they're getting some value out of having objectionable material held at bay. Kiddie filters on everything all the time, filtering out any info that doesn't fit into the official line.

[ewoden]

5. Repiblican private discussion. . .

Gosh darn it, how in the heck are we gonna be able to spy on Americans if the godless Chinese commies don't have access to Google to look for American instant message pals?

[MidwestTransplant]

7. BS. Yahoo did it too. And Yahoo gave up search records to the Feds.

And Yahoo narced on a dissident that landed him 10 years in jail. I look forward to those hearings too.

[Moochy]

8. this site, translated into chinese by google

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=zh-CN&sl=en&u=http://www.democraticunderground.com/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Ddemocratic%2Bunderground%26hl%3Dzh-CN%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG

So the question is, can they read this *in* china?

Google 将叫对任务在华盛顿下个月 跟随一个争议决定由网际网络搜索引擎发射将检察结果避免愤怒 country..s 共产主义者governnment 它的网站的的一个中国基于版 本。

~~snip-snip~~

决定由Chris 史密斯, 一个共和党议员从主持一个议院小 组委员会在人权的新泽西州, 要求2月16 日听力审查美国网际网络公司操作步骤在中国, 代表什么的第一个标志能成为严肃的后退反 对Google 和被察觉象投降对中国政府的其它网际网络公司在华盛顿 。

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新闻关于国会听力来正义小时在其它立法委员,民主党参 议员Patrick Leahy, 轮幅以后关于包围Google 在最近天的其它问 题: company..s 拒绝依从subpeona 由要求它移交脚趾的司法部政 府广泛纪录关于方式人民使用company..s 搜索引擎。

~~snip-snip~~

在给检察长Alberto Gonzales 的一封信件 , Leahy 先生要求更多信息关于四张传票对主要网际网络公司, 包 括怎么DOJ 意欲使用信息当保护的保密性纠正, 并且是否DOJ 计划 请求比较进一步的信息从公司。