Showing posts with label GoogleCN. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GoogleCN. Show all posts
用Google Earth，你洩露了“國家機密”
17日，Google高層管理員宣布，Google.com將於下週四（5月20日）啟動加密搜索服務，即https加密，旨在加強用戶在公共場所使用Google的安全性。
HTTPS加密是在普通HTTP協議上增加的安全版，其基礎為SSL協議。這個版本可使網絡數據傳輸更加隱秘，不被干擾或監聽。目前，Gmail以默認在全球使用https加密以確保Gmail的安全性。
Google使用https加密搜索，目地在於使用戶使用Google搜索時能繞過一些網絡封鎖，比如中國大陸的GFW。
目前Google中國遷至香港，大陸網友在訪問Google香港時會經過GFW過濾，一些關鍵詞搜索後將導致Google香港數日內無法正常登錄，造成Google服務在大陸很不穩定，許多人因此紛紛放棄Google，而被迫轉向牆內能自我過濾和諧的搜索引擎。
Google此舉在諸多網友看來其實並不能真正繞過GFW，相反，這將導致Google的搜索服務就此被GFW完全封鎖。好在Google此次只是在Google總站Google.com做實驗，而總站自此2002年起就已經被GFW封鎖，大陸網民無法訪問，所以影響並不大，只要Google不在Google香港上做什麼大手腳，Google就能在天朝苟活。
18日，大陸中央電視台一套焦點訪談節目播出了《警惕互聯網地圖泄密》，指責網民們使用Google Earth標註軍事基地，洩漏了“國家機密”。播出後眾多IT界網民嘩然。
被“曝光”的網站名叫“月光論壇”（請注意是論壇BBS），用來蒐集整理Google Earth的一些坐標，其本身並不是一個軍事類論壇。由於網站流量很少，視頻中出現的“大型軍事愛好者網站”更是無稽之談。
央視之所以被網友們所唾棄的是，雖然其口口聲聲在說“月光論壇”，但畫面中卻不斷的顯示著“月光博客”，並把其博客中一個專門討論Google地球軍事坐標的網頁放出，來誤導觀眾認為“月光論壇”就是一個軍事網站。而雖然月光博客有些內容涉及了軍事，但卻是一個不折不扣的IT技術評論博客（網誌/部落格）。
央視混淆視聽，極力向觀眾灌輸在地圖上標註這些軍事基地，機場，雷達站，飛機等等屬於洩漏“國家機密”。然而要明確的是，一些大型的軍用基地或機場，本身就是會被衛星給拍下來，這個是無法掩蓋的。至於軍事設備被人家看到，只能說軍方對於設備的偽裝工作沒有做到位。
如果Google真的洩露了一些軍事機密，政府應當要求Google降低這個區域的分辨率（以色列就在2005年這麼做），而絕非把網站站長叫過來把網站的內容刪除。故有Twitter網友戲稱：“所謂國家機密，就是外國人都能看的，中國人卻不能看的東西。”
身為大陸政府咽喉的CCTV，每次做一個對互聯網危言聳聽的報導，除了引用一些堂而皇之的理由之外，往往還意味著政府將在近期內對該領域做一些整頓。
2007年年末，央視《新聞聯播》報導互聯網色情暴力，其中一名13歲的小女生對著鏡頭說：“上次我查資料，突然蹦出一個窗口，很黃很暴力，我趕快給關了。”一個13歲的小女孩，怎麼會知道什麼是黃色，什麼是暴力，而且兩者還同時出現在同一網頁上，令網友質疑這位小學生其實在配合記者說台詞。2008年春節後，政府大力打擊黃色網站，即所謂的掃黃打非。許多色情網站被整頓的同時，政府要求大陸手機服務公司配合政府整頓“黃段子”，最終演變成侵犯個人隱私，“掃黃掃到夫妻床上”。
2009年，央視譴責Google中國傳播色情，並採訪了大學生高也，高也一句“心神不寧”與“很黃很暴力”異曲同工。後網友人肉搜索出高也是央視內部的實習員工，可能吧一篇文章指出Google被央視陷害。此後，Google在大陸媒體中陷入困境，並在今年1月聲明停止審查後遭到各大網站統一使用新華社稿件輪番轟炸。
在Google退出大陸後，其市場不斷的被百度等本土公司蠶食，其服務是一個接一個被封鎖。其競爭對手競相的推出同質化服務來取代Google。就在央视声讨Google地球/地图之前一日，國家測繪局頒布中國互聯網地圖服務專業資質標準，百度隨機宣布跟國家測繪局合作。不能不讓人感慨，國家機密之後都暗藏著利益關係。
中国代表们将如果在世界人权大会上回答
During the recent Universal Periodic Review of China's human rights record before the UN Human Rights Council, China represtative said:” There is no censorship.” (2009)
But the Chinese official comment to Google closing Google.cn is:” Censorship is necessary because it is required by Chinese law.” This is far more rediculous, against its own word to human right and free expression in UN Human Rights Council in 2009. This is not the first time the Chinese government lied. Well, every government will lie according to diplomatic requirment and social stability.But this one is much more than that, is to maintain its ruling power because it is so afraid to lose. Ok, I am not saying anything, I love China.
Google关闭g.cn网站的风波是沸沸扬扬，中国政府对着全世界的媒体振振有词的说：“自我审查是不容商议的法律要求。”
有意思的是，去年中国代表团在联合国人权理事会针对中国的人权状况进行普遍定期审查的会议上所作回应是：中国没有审查制度。
虽然。说谎常常是外交上的必要手段。但这次说谎也太离谱了。你可以说中国只审查色情暴力，何必把话说的这么绝呢？以后就算是说我们只审查sex，又如何使全世界人信服？中国在强硬的回应Google停审事件的同时，媒体造出一种中国自强的舆论，却不知此事已经连同中国许多反人权事件在慢慢的损害中国在国际上的大国形象。一个大国，不是说GDP多人家就会拜服。像这种出尔反尔的龌龊行为，只会让人生厌。
But the Chinese official comment to Google closing Google.cn is:” Censorship is necessary because it is required by Chinese law.” This is far more rediculous, against its own word to human right and free expression in UN Human Rights Council in 2009. This is not the first time the Chinese government lied. Well, every government will lie according to diplomatic requirment and social stability.
Google关闭g.cn网站的风波是沸沸扬扬，中国政府对着全世界的媒体振振有词的说：“自我审查是不容商议的法律要求。”
有意思的是，去年中国代表团在联合国人权理事会针对中国的人权状况进行普遍定期审查的会议上所作回应是：中国没有审查制度。
虽然。说谎常常是外交上的必要手段。但这次说谎也太离谱了。你可以说中国只审查色情暴力，何必把话说的这么绝呢？以后就算是说我们只审查sex，又如何使全世界人信服？中国在强硬的回应Google停审事件的同时，媒体造出一种中国自强的舆论，却不知此事已经连同中国许多反人权事件在慢慢的损害中国在国际上的大国形象。一个大国，不是说GDP多人家就会拜服。像这种出尔反尔的龌龊行为，只会让人生厌。
国礼部谈英使退出中国:不满英使无理指责
天朝礼部尚书，大学士纪昀今日早朝就西狄英吉利国大使马戛尔尼停止按照中国法律规定的外国来使面见皇帝要下跪，将英国使馆由中国内地（当时也就一个广州而已）转至澳门发表谈话（纯虚构）。这位负责人指出,英国大使违背进入中国时作出的书面承诺,停止对皇帝进行下跪,并就人权影射和指责中国,这是完全错误的。
这位负责人指出,外国公使在中国面圣必须遵守中国法律。马戛尔尼违背进入中国市场时作出的书面承诺,停止对皇帝进行下跪,并就人权影射和指责中国,这是完全错误的。我们坚决反对将礼仪问题政治化,对马戛尔尼的无理指责和做法表示不满和愤慨。
这位负责人说,1月12日马戛尔尼在未事先与我政府有关部门通气的情况下,公开发表声明,声称受到了中国政府支持的刺客攻击,不愿在中国受到非“人道”礼仪的影响,并“考虑退出中国”。在马戛尔尼一再请求下,为当面听取其真实想法,体现中方诚意,今年1月29日、2月25日中国政府有关部门负责人先后两次与英国使团接谈,就其提出的问题作了耐心细致的解释,强调外国公使在中国面圣应当遵循中国法律,如英国大使愿遵守中国法律,我们依然欢迎英国商人在中国经营和发展;如英国大使执意要撤走大使馆,那是英国人自己的事情,但必须按照中国法律和国际惯例,负责任地做好有关善后工作。
该负责人指出,中国政府鼓励中国对外贸易的发展和普及,促进对外开放。中国海上的交流和言论十分活跃,船舶商务等发展迅速。事实证明,中国对外贸易的投资环境、发展环境是好的。中国将坚定不移地坚持对外开放的方针,欢迎外国企业参与中国商业发展,并为外商到中国经营发展提供良好服务。中国对外贸易依然会保持快速发展的势头。
北京时间3月23日凌晨3时零3分,英吉利驻华大使马戛尔尼开发表声明,再次借刺客攻击问题指责中国,宣布停止对我皇帝的下跪活动。
新闻链接：国新办谈谷歌退出中国:不满谷歌无理指责
Google中国的新家 Google China's new home
今天，Google发表官方说明，停止了Google.cn的业务，并将Google.cn的业务转到Google香港。
首先，这说明Google言行一致，品德完全在政府之上。政府从05年开始说要压制房价，从来没有实现过。
其次，Google对于中国自我标榜的“中国互联网是开放的，自由的”予以回击。Google开设一个网站专门监控其门下的服务有无被中国大陆封锁。其效果有如美国驻华大使馆在twitter上开设北京空气质量检测讽刺北京气象局作假一样。
而中国政府又该怎么回应这个事件呢？中国的山西疫苗事件还没有过去，官方的公信度正在降低。此时出手封锁Google香港，不该是最明智之举吧。干预香港地方再去折腾，明显是有悖于一国两制中港人治港而中央不干预的原则。
更加可笑的是，Google的检测网站有如一道镜子摆在中国互联网面前，全世界的人都看见了，中国却选择捂住自己的眼睛，还口口声称自己是开放自由的。除了让世界各国耻笑外，还能有什么效果？
Today, Google issued an official statement, to stop the Google.cn business, and switch Google.cn's service to Google Hong Kong.
First, it shows Google keeping its words, unlikes the Chinese government. The government have announced to suppress housing prices since 2005, but never materialized.
Secondly, Google China's slogan of "China's Internet is open and free" is hitted back.Google opened a Web site dedicated service to monitor whether the sects have been blocked in mainland China. The effect is like the U.S. Embassy in Beijing opened air quality staute report on twitter to mock Beijing Meteorological Bureau.
And how should the Chinese Government respond to this incident? China's Shanxi vaccine incident is not over yet, the official credibility is decreasing. At this time shot blocking Google in Hong Kong, should not be the most sensible move. Local Zaiqu toss intervention in Hong Kong is obviously contrary to the formula, Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong and the central government non-intervention principle.
Even more ridiculous is that, Google's test site is like a mirror placed in front of the Chinese Internet, the whole world can see, but Chinese chose to cover his own eyes to claim that the Chinese Internet is open and free. There is no other effect but to be laughed in the global world for China.
首先，这说明Google言行一致，品德完全在政府之上。政府从05年开始说要压制房价，从来没有实现过。
其次，Google对于中国自我标榜的“中国互联网是开放的，自由的”予以回击。Google开设一个网站专门监控其门下的服务有无被中国大陆封锁。其效果有如美国驻华大使馆在twitter上开设北京空气质量检测讽刺北京气象局作假一样。
而中国政府又该怎么回应这个事件呢？中国的山西疫苗事件还没有过去，官方的公信度正在降低。此时出手封锁Google香港，不该是最明智之举吧。干预香港地方再去折腾，明显是有悖于一国两制中港人治港而中央不干预的原则。
更加可笑的是，Google的检测网站有如一道镜子摆在中国互联网面前，全世界的人都看见了，中国却选择捂住自己的眼睛，还口口声称自己是开放自由的。除了让世界各国耻笑外，还能有什么效果？
Today, Google issued an official statement, to stop the Google.cn business, and switch Google.cn's service to Google Hong Kong.
First, it shows Google keeping its words, unlikes the Chinese government. The government have announced to suppress housing prices since 2005, but never materialized.
Secondly, Google China's slogan of "China's Internet is open and free" is hitted back.Google opened a Web site dedicated service to monitor whether the sects have been blocked in mainland China. The effect is like the U.S. Embassy in Beijing opened air quality staute report on twitter to mock Beijing Meteorological Bureau.
And how should the Chinese Government respond to this incident? China's Shanxi vaccine incident is not over yet, the official credibility is decreasing. At this time shot blocking Google in Hong Kong, should not be the most sensible move. Local Zaiqu toss intervention in Hong Kong is obviously contrary to the formula, Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong and the central government non-intervention principle.
Even more ridiculous is that, Google's test site is like a mirror placed in front of the Chinese Internet, the whole world can see, but Chinese chose to cover his own eyes to claim that the Chinese Internet is open and free. There is no other effect but to be laughed in the global world for China.
Final weapon for Google to strike back
Google has been losing its reputation since Chinese media used all negative news and comments for it. The four China portal websites: Sina, Sohu, Netease and Tencent, have used news and comments from Xinhua.net(the Chinese government media website) about how Google works for the US and be against to the Chinese Internet censorship, law, and Chinese people.
Most Chinese people don’t know whether Google is really against which part of Chinese law, but they put this event in a way of Google is the tool of US government to fight against Chinese. Then nationalism people shouted on Internet:
Google, get the fuck out of China! (谷歌滚出中国)
As in this situation, Google has no face to continue the business in China. China will win a battle if Google compromises, at least Chinese media will thinks so, and Chinese people will follow them to think so. If Google leaves China, the Chinese media will think we win again, we drive the intruder away. Therefore, no matter what the final situation is, Chinese can always find a way to self-complacency.
However, is there a way to help Google to get out of this dead end? Is there a final weapon to let Google strike back? Absolutely yes: the list of censorship.
Censorship is the reason why Google want to leave China in the first place, Chinese government always persist in saying that censorship is necessary because it is legal and suitable for China Internet. But they never give an example of a censorship is against which part of Chinese law.
Every country has its own censor way to avoid sex and violence. But China is more afraid of politics. Like the media covered up the negative news about Hu Haifeng(胡海峰), son of current Chinese chairman Hu Jiangtao, had involved the corruption in Namibia. These negative political staff including civil rights, corruption, comments about China government, are truly destructive because more and more Chinese people are unsatisfied with government and very easily influenced by these negative things.
Once Chinese people have get this list of censorship, they will realize how many things the government have been lying to them. And they are very easy to be proved. Just go to an engine site, like baidu.com, type in any censorship word into it, and you will get no result because they are telling the truth. Then people will ask government to explain these censorship. Google will become hero again.
Most Chinese people don’t know whether Google is really against which part of Chinese law, but they put this event in a way of Google is the tool of US government to fight against Chinese. Then nationalism people shouted on Internet:
Google, get the fuck out of China! (谷歌滚出中国)
As in this situation, Google has no face to continue the business in China. China will win a battle if Google compromises, at least Chinese media will thinks so, and Chinese people will follow them to think so. If Google leaves China, the Chinese media will think we win again, we drive the intruder away. Therefore, no matter what the final situation is, Chinese can always find a way to self-complacency.
However, is there a way to help Google to get out of this dead end? Is there a final weapon to let Google strike back? Absolutely yes: the list of censorship.
Censorship is the reason why Google want to leave China in the first place, Chinese government always persist in saying that censorship is necessary because it is legal and suitable for China Internet. But they never give an example of a censorship is against which part of Chinese law.
Every country has its own censor way to avoid sex and violence. But China is more afraid of politics. Like the media covered up the negative news about Hu Haifeng(胡海峰), son of current Chinese chairman Hu Jiangtao, had involved the corruption in Namibia. These negative political staff including civil rights, corruption, comments about China government, are truly destructive because more and more Chinese people are unsatisfied with government and very easily influenced by these negative things.
Once Chinese people have get this list of censorship, they will realize how many things the government have been lying to them. And they are very easy to be proved. Just go to an engine site, like baidu.com, type in any censorship word into it, and you will get no result because they are telling the truth. Then people will ask government to explain these censorship. Google will become hero again.
无微博，不门户：网易加入门户微博大军
随着新浪首先开始大搞门户站微博之后，中国所有的门户站纷纷都效仿了新浪的模式。目前中国已经出现了多个门户微博如新浪微博、腾讯滔滔、搜狐微博、ChinaRen校园微博、鲜果微博，人民微博。现在网易终于也要加如微博军团了，这真是无微博，不门户。
为什在饭否之后一度沉迷的微博客反而又兴起了呢？饭否的失败在于过于借鉴了twitter的模式，却忽略了一个最基本的问题：审查。twitter是不用审查的，所以twitter的运营成本会比较低，也不需要更多的员工来做审查工作，节省了人力资源。饭否开始也是走这条路，结果在去年7月一场西部事件的发生导致被和谐了。饭否的教训是深刻的。而国外twitter的流行也使得中国的互联网也跟上脚步，于是出现了门户巨头开发微博服务的现象。道理很简单，门户站本身就有自我审查的和谐现象，又有众多资金来建设服务器。
门户微博是走新浪的模式。新浪是国内最早的门户微博（腾讯的滔滔太垃圾了不算），基本功能还是跟twitter或饭否差不多的。只是新浪没有twitter这么多的第三方应用端（API），使得要想发新浪tweet只能上新浪微博网站或者绑定手机。这点从客观上来说是降低了微博的使用价值，我们也可以想象将来新浪微博会支持MSN，QQ等IM工具发推，但事实上根本不及twitter这么多的API。也就是说国内的门户微博只是从twitter上学到了一点皮毛，却没有学到微博客的实质：实时性，传媒性。
中国的高级决策者认为微博是一个社会舆论媒体，要加以控制。所以各大门户微博里的热门话题都是有够和谐的。Google官方博客上说要考虑终止Google.cn时，新浪微博热门话题上第一位就是它，结果短短的几个小时后就不见了，被管理员强行下榜。无论微博用户是怎么关注，怎样讨论，都不会出现，看上去好像就是中国的网民不关心这个事件一样。而twitter上先是出现了以Google为标签的老外用户在讨论，接着就出现了GoogleCN这个标签的中国用户在讨论，这2个标签都曾上过twitter的
Trending Topics，后来海地地震震惊了美国人，美国人一发力Haiti标签把GoogleCN给顶下去了。
不但是强行控制热门话题，当用户出现敏感词时还是删掉这个tweet。到底有多敏感？当你在微博里提到“管理员”，然后说到微博上的“和谐”事件时，往往就要删了。
系统管理员：您在2010-01-13 21:14:00发表的微博“新浪围脖的工作人员辛苦了，1...”已被管理员删除。给您带来的不便，深表歉意。(1月13日 21:23)
管理员可以删用户的tweet，这个从根本上导致门户微博的价值完全不及twitter。因为微博客的价值就在于用户的tweet的信息价值。如果大家都只是在说自己最近做了什么事，吃喝拉撒的，或者就是在重复官方新闻，微博就完全失去了它的意义与价值。中国目前最缺的就是一些反对与质疑的声音，就是所谓的“不和谐”的声音。在twitter上往往能在最短的时间发现将要被和谐的网页，这种网页的出现往往是审查的不到位，结果只能事后擦屁股删网页了。如果我们不能在这个网页被删前发现它并保存它，那么这个网页就等于没有存在过，也是说网页里的事件或信息不存在，证据被销毁了，结果就是真相被隐瞒。
门户微博目前门派众多，也使得微博在中国的价值大打折扣。比如说用新浪的人看不到搜狐的，用网易的看不到腾讯的，信息交流被阻碍了，使得微博更像是一帮人在自娱自乐。新浪微博继承了新浪博客的名人“传统”，把微博贬低成一个名人与粉丝的平台。于是中国人还是杯具了，该干嘛干嘛，用twitter的照样用twitter，被和谐的照样被和谐。
为什在饭否之后一度沉迷的微博客反而又兴起了呢？饭否的失败在于过于借鉴了twitter的模式，却忽略了一个最基本的问题：审查。twitter是不用审查的，所以twitter的运营成本会比较低，也不需要更多的员工来做审查工作，节省了人力资源。饭否开始也是走这条路，结果在去年7月一场西部事件的发生导致被和谐了。饭否的教训是深刻的。而国外twitter的流行也使得中国的互联网也跟上脚步，于是出现了门户巨头开发微博服务的现象。道理很简单，门户站本身就有自我审查的和谐现象，又有众多资金来建设服务器。
门户微博是走新浪的模式。新浪是国内最早的门户微博（腾讯的滔滔太垃圾了不算），基本功能还是跟twitter或饭否差不多的。只是新浪没有twitter这么多的第三方应用端（API），使得要想发新浪tweet只能上新浪微博网站或者绑定手机。这点从客观上来说是降低了微博的使用价值，我们也可以想象将来新浪微博会支持MSN，QQ等IM工具发推，但事实上根本不及twitter这么多的API。也就是说国内的门户微博只是从twitter上学到了一点皮毛，却没有学到微博客的实质：实时性，传媒性。
中国的高级决策者认为微博是一个社会舆论媒体，要加以控制。所以各大门户微博里的热门话题都是有够和谐的。Google官方博客上说要考虑终止Google.cn时，新浪微博热门话题上第一位就是它，结果短短的几个小时后就不见了，被管理员强行下榜。无论微博用户是怎么关注，怎样讨论，都不会出现，看上去好像就是中国的网民不关心这个事件一样。而twitter上先是出现了以Google为标签的老外用户在讨论，接着就出现了GoogleCN这个标签的中国用户在讨论，这2个标签都曾上过twitter的
Trending Topics，后来海地地震震惊了美国人，美国人一发力Haiti标签把GoogleCN给顶下去了。
不但是强行控制热门话题，当用户出现敏感词时还是删掉这个tweet。到底有多敏感？当你在微博里提到“管理员”，然后说到微博上的“和谐”事件时，往往就要删了。
系统管理员：您在2010-01-13 21:14:00发表的微博“新浪围脖的工作人员辛苦了，1...”已被管理员删除。给您带来的不便，深表歉意。(1月13日 21:23)
管理员可以删用户的tweet，这个从根本上导致门户微博的价值完全不及twitter。因为微博客的价值就在于用户的tweet的信息价值。如果大家都只是在说自己最近做了什么事，吃喝拉撒的，或者就是在重复官方新闻，微博就完全失去了它的意义与价值。中国目前最缺的就是一些反对与质疑的声音，就是所谓的“不和谐”的声音。在twitter上往往能在最短的时间发现将要被和谐的网页，这种网页的出现往往是审查的不到位，结果只能事后擦屁股删网页了。如果我们不能在这个网页被删前发现它并保存它，那么这个网页就等于没有存在过，也是说网页里的事件或信息不存在，证据被销毁了，结果就是真相被隐瞒。
门户微博目前门派众多，也使得微博在中国的价值大打折扣。比如说用新浪的人看不到搜狐的，用网易的看不到腾讯的，信息交流被阻碍了，使得微博更像是一帮人在自娱自乐。新浪微博继承了新浪博客的名人“传统”，把微博贬低成一个名人与粉丝的平台。于是中国人还是杯具了，该干嘛干嘛，用twitter的照样用twitter，被和谐的照样被和谐。
Google要退出中国了 英文原版（转自Google官方博客）
原文来自http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/new-approach-to-china.html，但已被和谐
英语不好的人请直接看红体加粗字Google 如果真的退出了中国市场，看上去是百度的一场胜利，实现了百度跟Google的划洋而治计划。但对于中国网民来说，失去使用世界上最好的搜索网站 Google以及Google的一些非常好的产品的权利和机会，无疑是一种杯具。我们可以装做什么都没发生，继续使用百度跟外面的世界隔绝，直到 Google超前的意识与创造力所产生的绝对技术优势再次打败中国所有的互联网公司。
A new approach to China
1/12/2010 03:00:00 PMLike many other well-known organizations, we face cyber attacks of varying degrees on a regular basis. In mid-December, we detected a highly sophisticated and targeted attack on our corporate infrastructure originating from China that resulted in the theft of intellectual property from Google. However, it soon became clear that what at first appeared to be solely a security incident--albeit a significant on
First, this attack was not just on Google. As part of our investigation we have discovered that at least twenty other large companies from a wide range of businesses--including the Internet, finance, technology, media and chemical sectors--have been similarly targeted. We are currently in the process of notifying those companies, and we are also working with the relevant U.S. authorities.
Second, we have evidence to suggest that a primary goal of the attackers was accessing the Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists. Based on our investigation to date we believe their attack did not achieve that objective. On
Third, as part of this investigation but independent of the attack on Google, we have discovered that the accounts of dozens of U.S.-, China- and Europe-based Gmail users who are advocates of human rights in China appear to have been routinely accessed by third parties. These accounts have not been accessed through any security breach at Google, but most likely via phishing scams or malware placed on the users' computers.
We have already used information gained from this attack to make infrastructure and architectural improvements that enhance security for Google and for our users. In terms of individual users, we would advise people to deploy reputable anti-virus and anti-spyware programs on their computers, to install patches for their operating systems and to update their web browsers. Always be cautious when clicking on links appearing in instant messages and emails, or when asked to share personal information like passwords on
We have taken the unusual step of sharing information about these attacks with a broad audience not just because of the security and human rights implications of what we have unearthed, but also because this information goes to the heart of a much bigger global debate about freedom of speech. In the last two decades, China's economic reform programs and its citizens' entrepreneurial flair have lifted hundreds of millions of Chinese people out of poverty. Indeed, this great nation is at the heart of much economic progress and development in the world today.
We launched Google.cn in January 2006 in the belief that the benefits of increased access to information for people in China and a more open Internet outweighed our discomfort in agreeing to censor some results. At the time we made clear that "we will carefully monitor conditions in China, including new laws and other restrictions on our services. If we determine that we are unable to achieve the objectives outlined we will not hesitate to reconsider our approach to China."
These attacks and the surveillance they have uncovered--combined with the attempts over the past year to further limit free speech on the web--have led us to conclude that we should review the feasibility of our business operations in China. We have decided we are no longer willing to continue censoring our results on Google.cn, and so over the next few weeks we will be discussing with the Chinese government the basis on which we could operate an unfiltered search engine within the law, if at all. We recognize that this may well mean having to shut down Google.cn, and potentially our offices in China.
The decision to review our business operations in China has been incredibly hard, and we know that it will have potentially far-reaching consequences. We want to make clear that this move was driven by our executives in the United States, without the knowledge or involvement of our employees in China who have worked incredibly hard to make Google.cn the success it is today. We are committed to working responsibly to resolve the very difficult issues raised.
Posted by David Drummond, SVP, Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer
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