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Google threatens to pull out of China after hackers target dissidents’ emails
Mark Prigg, Science and Technology Editor13 Jan 2010
A major diplomatic row has broken out after Google threatened to pull out of China.
Google said hackers originating from China had targeted the email accounts of Chinese human rights activists.
The web giant claims as a result of this it is no longer willing to censor its Chinese site's results as the government requires, and was considering the future of its China operation.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today said Google's claims “raise very serious concerns”, and demanded an explanation from Chinese authorities.
“The ability to operate with confidence in cyberspace is critical in a modern society and economy,” she added.
British MPs backed Google's stance, with Labour's Tom Watson calling for other firms to follow their lead.
“Google have taken a brave move to stand up for transparency and information freedom,” he said. “Their lead should be followed by other tech companies like Microsoft and Yahoo, who censor search results, and Apple who removed the Dalai Lama application from their iPhone app store in China.”
Google said it was in talks with the US and Chinese government over the issue.
It said it had found a “sophisticated and targeted attack on our corporate infrastructure originating from China”.
Spokesman David Drummond added: “A primary goal of the attackers was accessing the Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists.”
The company said two accounts appeared to have been accessed. But activity was limited to information such as the date the account was created and subject line, rather than the content.
It said it had also discovered that the accounts of dozens of US, China and Europe-based Gmail users, who are “advocates of human rights in China”, were “routinely accessed by third parties”. At least 20 other large companies were similarly targeted, it added.
Google launched in China four years ago after agreeing to censor some search results — arguing it would be more damaging for civil liberties if it stayed out of China entirely.
The firm said it would hold talks with the China in the coming weeks to look at operating an unfiltered search engine within the law. The decision, it said, had been “incredibly hard”.
Human rights activists welcomed the move. “A trans-national attack on privacy is chilling, and Google's response sets a great example,” said Arvind Ganesan, director of Human Rights Watch.
Chinese officials were “seeking more information on Google's statement”.
Reader views (6)
@ Thomas Hayes, Leeds UK
Since the Olympics, which I think China should never have been allowed to host, the repression of freedom of speech and other freedom aspects has been horrendous. Basic aspects of life you take for granted in this "comfortable" society that we live in, are simply not granted.
The Tibetans might also have something to say about it, if they were allowed to. Chinese people are being trucked into Tibet to swamp the local populace and at the sametime native Tibetans are being sterilized.
But hey, what do you care.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 13/01/2010 16:05
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Why has Google decided to take a stand now and not when they originally set up in China? We all know that China has lots of human rights problems, including severe restriction of internet access, so why do they only complain now? The fact is, the internet's freedom of speech is being threatened not only in China but in many other countries, including the UK and USA-politicians would love to muzzle criticism on the net and the public must be vigilant to maintain net freedoms. As for China, economic development has not stopped some of the more unpleasant restrictions of freedoms occurring.
- Jon Kent, Hertford. UK, 13/01/2010 13:14
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Here we go again,now its the turn of China to be demonised. Is there no end to this nonsense orchestrated by the paranoid USA aided and abetted by the UK lackey Regimes.
T H
- Thomas Hayes, Leeds UK, 13/01/2010 12:46
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Let’s say instead of the internet Google was a cat and dogs home... Should they open up a branch in China (under their rules) which meant all the dogs and cats would have to be skinned alive and their fur sold... No they should not. In no way should Google have ever indulged a country who treats their animals this way. Human beings don’t do much better out there either… with people being executed for crimes such as tax evasion. By letting China filter and change results of searches to suit them you are only colluding with them in their mission doctor history and repress their people.
- Paul B, London, 13/01/2010 12:36
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I think Google is getting aggresive & arrogant; one will take advice before getting into these countries and once you are in then you will unfortunately abide by their laws. Further Google seems to get into trouble because it tries to rock the boat too often like in India they have shown different maps of the Indian territory. Not taking Mrs Obama's pictures down from the search etc.
- Nayeshh Pitla, London, 13/01/2010 10:44
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Google should never have gone into China with such restrictions in the first place. They were hacked by the Chinese government agents. Time to send China a very clear message about growing up.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 13/01/2010 09:32
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