• We will appeal this astonishing decision because the Google employees on trial had nothing to do with the video in question. Throughout this long process, they have displayed admirable grace and fortitude. It is outrageous that they have been subjected to a trial at all.
• Google’s VP and Deputy General Counsel in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Matt Sucherman • Regarding a decision by Italian courts to criminally convict three Google employees for allowing a video to be posted to YouTube. The video showed schoolboys making fun of an autistic classmate. Despite the fact that Google took it down, the Italian court convicted them anyway – for not having a process of pre-screening videos so it would go up in the first place. In other words, kids, this ruling goes against everything that makes the Internet a cool place. If we were Google, we’d pull out of the Italian market entirely, just to show leadership there how ass-backwards this decision is. We’re sure that after two or three days without cat videos, there will be riots in the streets. Awful decision, Italy. source

• Sister was very happy when brother gave up the thought of leaving and stayed for sister.
• A message on the “Goojje” Web site • Regarding Google’s possible leaving of the Chinese market. In Chinese, the syllable “gle” is pronounced like the word for “older brother.” Goojje, a new search engine, takes advantage of this, using the syllable “jje” to stand for “older sister.” Who’s mama bear, Baidu? source

• They didn’t air the entirety of a pro-government speech yesterday. RCTV, a 53-year-old channel that’s been cable-only since 2007, was illegally yanked off the air at midnight last night. It wasn’t the only one – four others were pulled – but it was the most notable due to the fact that they had been critical of the Chavez government for years. source

• Well, that #(&(@&@ sucks. Screw them. China, currently kings of the sassy-kid-talkin’ “I do what I want” bandwagon, are forcing phone companies in the country to censor text messages with “illegal or unhealthy content,” mostly by suspending service to unwitting dirty-joke-makers. Just to make sure China blocks this post after we put it up:

china tiananmen square human rights porn sex sex censorship communism google xxx sexual content pornography tibet dalai lama playboy china tiananmen square human rights porn sex sex censorship communism google xxx sexual content pornography tibet dalai lamachina tiananmen square human rights porn sex sex censorship communism google xxx sexual content pornography tibet dalai lama

• There, that should do it. source

• The Chinese government administers the Internet according to law and we have explicit stipulations over what content can be spread on the Internet.
• Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu • In a general comment on Internet censorship clearly targeting Google’s bold push to stop censorship on the Internet in China. Another Chinese official, Wang Chen, director of the State Council Information Office, had this to say about the matter: “Effective guidance of public opinion on the Internet is an important way of protecting the security of online information.” Doesn’t sound like China’s willing to bend. source

• +10% increase in Baidu’s stock this morning; they stand to benefit most from Google’s China pullout
• -1% decrease in Google’s stock this morning, after posting about the pullout decision last night source

• china The country, known for limiting free speech as well as economic power, was apparently behind a large cyber-attack that hit Google and many other companies, and tried to access sensitive information about human rights activists.
• google They noticed the hack, did their research and found the hack went far beyond them. They’re uncensoring their search results and considering leaving China altogether. Pardon our French, but this is fucking massive. source

• google Google has been asked by China to block a feature that brings up related search terms when typing in a word, because apparently it was showing too much explicit related content.
• overall China has been ratcheting up its internet censorship lately, much to the chagrin of users. On top of Tiananmen Square blocking, they tried (and failed) to put censoring software on all PCs. source