Following the blogs yesterday, it looked like the détente between Google and China had fallen apart almost as quickly as it was hobbled together. At first it seemed as if Chinese users were prevented from searching the site altogether unless they accessed it through Hong Kong. Early on Thursday Google claimed that its search, ads, and mobile services were completely blocked, while other services such as Google News and Google Images were only partially blocked.
A few hours later, Google withdrew its claims, saying that the level of blockage was not as bad as originally anticipated. “Because of the way we measure accessibility in China, it’s possible that our machines could overestimate the level of blockage,” said Google’s Corporate Communications Chief, Jill Hazelbaker. While there was some blockage, that’s par for the course in China. Hazelbaker continued that, “It appears now that users in China are accessing our properties normally,” Googlespeak for, “Censorship levels are back to normal.”
Of course, censorship is just like pregnancy—you can’t be a little of either. And as Tom Lehrer wisely sang:
All books can be indecent books, though recent books are bolder.
For filth, I’m glad to say, is in the mind of the beholder.
When correctly viewed, everything is lewd.
I could tell you things about Peter Pan.
And the Wizard of Oz, there’s a dirty old man!”
Read More at NBC Bay Area.
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