Google Will Censor Chinese Web Searches

On Tuesday, Google announced that it will launch new versions of its search and news sites in China that censor materials the government might find offensive, CNET News.com reports.

The new site at Google.cn is expected to launch today.  When content is censored from a search, the user will be notified by notes at the bottom of the results page, said Andrew McLaughlin, senior policy counsel for Google.

“Google.cn will comply with local Chinese laws and regulations,” McLaughlin said in a statement. “In deciding how best to approach the Chinese-or any-market, we must balance our commitments to satisfy the interest of users, expand access to information, and respond to local conditions.”

McLaughlin noted that Google will not offer Gmail or Blogger in China until that balance is met.

The move comes shortly after the blog site of well-known Chinese blogger Zhao Jing, a.k.a. An Ti, was shut down by Microsoft after he discussed a highly publicized newspaper strike in Beijing.

For more on Web censorship in China, check out U.S. Lawmaker Battles Chinese Internet Censorship.

-Al Sacco