Google's foray into China is directly contradicting their
exuberant IPO statement. Perhaps they took idealism a little too
seriously, but that's forgivable. To date, none of Google's
actions have really amounted to anything more than wearing some
egg on their face. But Google isn't just any old company hawking
its products. These are historic times for the Mountain View, CA
bunch, and over the next few years their presence in China will
amount to much more than a search engine that censored
Playboy.com for the Communist government there.

If nothing else, the last two or three years have shown us the
inherent strength of the search engine - and none more than
Google. And I believe that an unintended consequence of Google's
controversial stance in China has an awareness increase of just
how influential search results can be. Comparisons of
"Tiananmen" searches are illustrating this. Several blogs are
showing split screen stills of keyword results using "Tiananmen"
on Google Images. Google.cn shows picture after picture of a
lovely park, while Google.com shows a screen full of those
infamous images of a lone protestor in front of menacing tanks.
Just one example of real time censorship is being beamed live
over the internet, brought to you by Google. It makes for
unintentional and terrible publicity for Google. Oddly timed,
too, considering Google's righteous defense here in the United
States against government intrusion into their own affairs.

I repeat, Google's position is not wrong. It's almost silly to
envision a leading global company that can maintain preeminence
while staying true to a lofty (and now meaningless) definition
of "Do No Evil". But in a darkly ironic twist, Google may
someday find themselves in situations of flat out "We Do Evil
Right".

A benefit of search is privacy and Google backs user privacy to
the hilt here in the United States. Think of what privacy means
to users - people can seek help for alcohol and drug problems
without fear of ostracism, they can test the job market without
making waves, ask questions they may feel embarrassed asking
someone they know - all anonymously. Maybe we take this for
granted, but this is a powerful and useful asset for us.

Could anyone actually believe that Google will protect Chinese
Internet users if the powers in Beijing started making demands
for private search information on Chinese searches? Google has
entered China on Beijing's terms, compromised. When issues of
ethics arise Google won't have much to say because they are
clearly in China for the dough. The power of search, that we see
in China, can - and let's be frank, will be used against the
people someday. This would make Google, of "Do No Evil" fame -
somewhat complicit.

Until some big changes occur in Beijing I foresee much
awkwardness for the "Do No Evil" bunch's operation in China.
Simply put, the Party Leaders in Beijing have Google over a
barrel - I suppose that means selling out. If they cared only
about profits, this article might not have even been written.
But this is Google. And their product is a powerful tool and
they've already yielded it to some very powerful folks in
Beijing. This time it was to prevent the Chinese people from
accessing certain information. As this tool of search continues
to refine and become powerful, it's tough to say what Google
will be asked for. Perhaps Google will be coerced into giving up
the identities of their own users in China. It is anything but a
farfetched scenario. Is hypocrisy in big business expected?
Sure, to some degree. But this is dangerous hypocrisy.