Name: Will Google leave China?
Uploaded: 2014-04-09
Duration: 3 min 41 s
Description: The Techmate crew debates whether the search giant will pull out over China censorship, spying and hacking concerns.

[ MUSIC ] So the [ UNKNOWN ] these days is that Google is getting closer to pulling out of China. Now, there's nothing official but clearly Google is upset with what they deem to be spying within Google China. And you know, the rumor is that they're getting closer to pulling the plug. You were just in Abu Dhabi and I know you had some conversations about China, and there seems to be somewhat a bit of a different perspective outside the United States of the mighty Google and, and what it takes to play in China. Yeah, the most interesting conversation I had there was with Kai Fu Lee who used to run Google's China operations. And his perspective on the Google situation was interesting. He thinks that Google is a really idealistic company, that this spying thing, that they're upset about, was sort of the straw that broke the camel's back. That it's not really that different from other spying allegations that we've heard about China, even from other companies, but that they just weren't willing to take it anymore. But, but his perspective is different. He really wants to play in the Chinese market. He feels like there are great opportunities there. It's possible to work with the Chinese government, and that things are slowly opening up. [ CROSSTALK ]. So, while Google is getting ticked off, he's got more of a, a, player approach. Does that mean, though, that if you're going to. Play in China and do business in China that, that you have to put up with that kind of spying? I mean, and let's point out too, that Google in China is not the massive leader that it is in other parts of the world. It's, you know, it's not a distant number two but it's certainly behind Baidu. I think some people would argue that if you're gonna play on the internet no matter where you are in the world, you gotta worry about spying and security. But about China specifically, there was a panel. That I got a chance to check out there in Abu Dhabi. And it was a lot of folks, entrepreneurs, who were doing business in China who were talking about how things are opening up. They were saying, it used to be that the Chinese government would censor things. Before the Digital Age, they would take a look at stuff before it went out, say yes or no, this can go out or it can't. Now, in the Digital Age, there are so many people creating content. So many people creating technology, that the government can't act as a gatekeeper in that way. They're more of a regulator, you know, once it comes out, if they get a chance to look at it, maybe they'll, they'll censor it, maybe they'll pull it back. Unless you're really well- connected, or really well- known, and then if you aren't, maybe they'll hold back. On censoring you, and, and as that happened as technology makes a push through China we are getting more open. I mean one of the things that I've observed and I spent a couple of years in Shanghai is that, you know, China is opening up gradually and when, when something like Google comes in and threatens to just open everything up in one fell swoop. They get really nervous and so they pull back. And so you see this kind of pulling back, and then they open back up a little bit, and then a little bit more, and then a little bit more, and so I think that's what we're seeing. And the Internet has gotta scare the Google out of them. [ LAUGH ]. And they're trying to figure out a way they can control it and I don't know if they can. And probably they don't, can't figure out a way to do it the right way. And so, it seems a little too controlling. I've begun to think after some of the conversations that I've had, that Google will step back in it's China presence. It sounds like Larry and Serge, are just really being idealistic about this. You know, maybe history will prove them to be wise in doing that and I think the Chinese government is taking enough of a black eye from Google over this that it will probably be hard. For Google to do business in China going forward. Well we'll see. Those, there, there are other folks who will certainly, gladly take Google's place. But we'll see what happens. That's Techmate.

The Techmate crew debates whether the search giant will pull out over China censorship, spying and hacking concerns.