Google's Harsh Words for China Just Marketing

Company is doing poorly, and saw convenient rights-related out

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 13, 2010 9:56 AM CST

(Newser) – The stand Google took against Chinese censorship and web-based malevolence yesterday is as much about the search giant’s self interest as any deep moral ideals, Sarah Lacy writes. “I’m not saying human rights didn’t play into the decision,” but it was surely an afterthought. First of all, Google isn’t doing so well in China. “Does anyone really think Google would be doing this if it had top market share in the country?”

With its fiery rhetoric and dusted-off “do no evil” stance, Lacy writes on TechCrunch, Google is “turning what would be a negative into a marketing positive for its business in the rest of the world.” This becomes clearer when you understand that Google is skilled enough in China to know the sort of public excoriation it delivered is no way to negotiate with the government there. The company has obviously decided it’s “ready to burn bridges,” so why not go out with a bang?

[Images (1)]

[Quotes (1)]

A sign, which reads "Google Bai Bai (bye bye)," is seen near flowers, left by visitors outside the Google China headquarters in Beijing today. (AP Photo)

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This was a scorched earth move, aimed at buying Google some good will in the rest of the world; Chinese customers and staff were essentially just thrown under the bus. - Sarah Lacy

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 13 comments

Snarfeh

Jan 18, 2010 7:51 AM CST

@DuhDLY - Yep. So many have indeed sold their principles, I gotta have a favorite team amongst them.

mikech

Jan 14, 2010 1:55 AM CST

Wrong. Google is nothing like Microsoft. Can you name one instance where Google used it’s resources to “cut off the air supply” of a competitor as MS is so famously quoted as doing to Netscape? Google is number one because they offer the best search results as well as proving great free services (Google mail, voice, earth (street view is awesome), docs, etc. ) as well as sponsoring cool technologies such as Android and Chrome.

DontLikeYou___

Jan 13, 2010 9:13 AM CST

@thudson. I'm sorry, I don't speak alcoholic.

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Google's Harsh Words for China Just Marketing