About the Google.cn, I don’t think so. I have been testing myself and there is little difference with the tests I did last year. Try “零八宪章” for example, Chinese for the Charter 08, and you will see all the results manipulated like they always were.

The main problem is in the form: if Google had decided to not accept China’s imposition of self-censorship, then that was fine. But as it stands, it is challenging China publicly, and that is way out of Google’s purpose and scope.

Regarding Google decision: I don’t agree, Google message says the emails were accessed by hacking the computers, not the servers of Google themselves. As it is written in the initial blog by G, this and other forms of information control are not new at all, nor directly related to Google, so why take the decision now?

And anyway, I see the moral side of the argument. But when it comes to a company with the responsibility of Google, I actions cannot be based only on “heart” or moral considerations but also on results: what if the result of this moral action is that things will become even worse?

Another point of view: Did Google withdraw from the USA when the tortures of Irak were discovered? Or did it say something about the thousands of people the US killed in Irak or other countries without any moral justification?

Chinese system is unjust and needs to change, but so are many other things, and the only way to change them is using out head, not just our hearts.

There’s also evidence that previously blocked searches have already started appearing in results on google.cn. This wasn’t some off the cuff statement, they were ready for it.

I am categorically opposed to censorship. But I am very surprised that google announced this in a blog, rather than an official company statement.