Google censoring Nexus One image searches

Brian

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=google+nexus+one&gbv=2

What do you reckon? There are plenty of photos of the device out there on the net, and yet mysteriously the internet's most powerful search engine can't find them.

For those who don't know, the Nexus One is Google's next premier mobile phone, set to go up against the mindshare of the iPhone. The hype and leaks around the handset seem to be quite well coordinated.

I have created a reddit for it but don't really know how to popularize it :P
http://www.reddit.com/r/reddit.com/comments/ajphw/google_censoring_nexus_one_image_searches/

GBX

I doubt its a CT ... more so them trying to preserve the product launch if this is the case. There own prerogative given your using google to look for the not yet released to the public product.

I think this is more a case of Google wanting to keep their project under wraps; it's not unreasonable for a company to not want to reveal their product before it's released. I'd imagine that most of the pictures on other websites are leaked, so in that sense Google probably are censoring those images.

So, it's probably a case of censoring, but it's undoubtedly not on par with Google.cn's censoring of images of Tiananmen Square!

Dublin_Gunner

Wow, Google sensoring sensitive data about Google.

They're up to something, I can feel it in me waters.

uprising

Dublin_Gunner wrote: »

Wow, Google sensoring sensitive data about Google.

They're up to something, I can smell it in my poolies.

FIXED

Nick_oliveri

-JammyDodger- wrote: »

So, it's probably a case of censoring, but it's undoubtedly not on par with Google.cn's censoring of images of Tiananmen Square!

Indeed. Not nearly as disgusting as that. We now know that Google might consider censoring anything in any country because of that countries dictatorship (or otherwise). And thats something that demands way more answers and consideration than an android phone IMO. And its not just images that they have censored in China either.

And TBH, I am not surprised that they chose to do this with their product. It only seems to irk gadget nerds (me being somewhat of a gadget nerd!)

indough

what would be the alternative to complying with the states censorship requests? no service at all? would this really be vetter or worse for the average citizen of one of those countries?

Nick_oliveri

indough wrote: »

what would be the alternative to complying with the states censorship requests? no service at all? would this really be vetter or worse for the average citizen of one of those countries?

Yes because it shows Googles willingness to support and never suppress free information and speech. You don't cooperate with these policies no matter what the outcome. The great image they had was shattered in a lot of peoples minds after that incident. And it still goes on. A taste of things to come? Maybe/Maybe not.

indough

and how would that help the chinese people? surely having access to some information is better than none at all

Nick_oliveri

indough wrote: »

and how would that help the chinese people? surely having access to some information is better than none at all

I'm sure they are delighted they get the censored version of Google. And I'm also sure that most of them are delighted that Google colluded with their oppressors. If every search engine told China's dictatorship to **** off then they would have to create a search engine of their own. And way more press would have been given to the situation. You do not collude with oppressors... ever. You are giving them what they want and are reinforcing their policies.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/google-yahoo-target-internet-freedom-bill-2009-11-20

indough

Nick_oliveri wrote: »

I'm sure they are delighted they get the censored version of Google. And I'm also sure that most of them are delighted that Google colluded with their oppressors. If every search engine told China's dictatorship to **** off then they would have to create a search engine of their own. And way more press would have been given to the situation. You do not collude with oppressors... ever. You are giving them what they want and are reinforcing their policies.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/google-yahoo-target-internet-freedom-bill-2009-11-20

sorry but you are being way too idealistic and matter of fact about it, we live in the real world where sometimes unfortunately compromises have to be made for the greater good

Nick_oliveri

indough wrote: »

sorry but you are being way too idealistic and matter of fact about it, we live in the real world where sometimes unfortunately compromises have to be made for the greater good

Greater good yeah? Whats good about the situation? Why does China get a free pass to oppress people? I love the way you cannot tell me how I'm wrong, just that I am being too idealistic....

Sure lets censor information about 1916 and Bloody Sunday in Ireland so there'll be no more of these rebel ejjits. Sure Google can compromise for the grater good. Or hows about Benson and Hedges lobbying to ban all negative information about cigarettes in this this country. Or the Vitners banning information about excess drink and drink driving. Sure if all that ever happpens, Google can compromise for the "Greater Good".

Yitzhak Rabin

Nick_oliveri wrote: »

Greater good yeah? Whats good about the situation? Why does China get a free pass to oppress people? I love the way you cannot tell me how I'm wrong, just that I am being too idealistic....

Sure lets censor information about 1916 and Bloody Sunday in Ireland so there'll be no more of these rebel ejjits. Sure Google can compromise for the grater good. Or hows about Benson and Hedges lobbying to ban all negative information about cigarettes in this this country. Or the Vitners banning information about excess drink and drink driving. Sure if all that ever happpens, Google can compromise for the "Greater Good".

To be fair, he's not in favour of the censorship.

But the fact of the matter is google is a private company, and if it wants to be permitted in china, then it has to do as the government there asks.

No one here is advocating censorship. Your beef is with the chinese government, not google, imo.

Nick_oliveri

And that is the point I am making. I do not believe Indough is incorrect in assuming that Google, as a company must survive in a certain province, but the moral implications of them censoring anything historical or literary cuts to the very core of what it is that Google are there for- Information, not censorship or pandering to the anti - informationists (thats not a word!).

and if it wants to be permitted in china, then it has to do as the government there asks.

Aha, I knew this would come up. Yahoo have been caught doing what the government asks. Is this moral? Is this what a free information company should be doing in order to operate in communist or dictatorships? Are Google doing this to operate in China? We may never know. And for some it might be a case of "If i cannot see Google doing it then they aren't doing it".

Do you want to be jailed for discussing how Fianna Fail are a corrupt political party? Does it end at the governmental level? How about corporate pressure as in my examples earlier. If Google shared your information with people who wanted to jail you for speaking about corruption in your country... Is that what Google or Yahoo are about?

The Internet has evolved to become a free news source, a free opinion source and a platform for visual/audio and literary discussion. If China wants to do away with this process then let them do it themselves. You, as an internet company with such a good reputation do your best to promote the free and mighty medium you operate under. Or you pander to it and call into question your future actions and your devotion to this medium.

Yitzhak Rabin

The actions of Yahoo in those two case was absolutely despicable, and morally bankrupt. I agree with you about that 100%

My point is that it is the government in China who are the culprits. They are the ones surpressing free speech and jailing dissidents. Yahoo in that case was compelled by law to provide the information. The employees of Yahoo China, could have found themselves doing the hard labour if they refused to carry out the subpeno(sp?).

While I think that Yahoo could act in a more morally upright way and simply refuse to deal with China, but that as indough rightly said would be a case of censored internet, or no internet at all. Its a tricky situation, but I don't think there is a conspiracy. Its simply private business' making money and obeying the host government to do so.

Nick_oliveri

My point is that it is the government in China who are the culprits. They are the ones surpressing free speech and jailing dissidents. Yahoo in that case was compelled by law to provide the information. The employees of Yahoo China, could have found themselves doing the hard labour if they refused to carry out the subpeno(sp?).

Think about that for a minute, the ramifications for complying far outweigh the ramifications for not complying.And for Google to operate in China, are these the same policies that they have to operate under? How many arrests go unreported or the source of the information squashed. They are operating in a communist dictatorship. In this case we can plainly see what that meant for Yahoo, in Google's case we cannot see what else goes on or maybe I haven't researched it enough. Not that I am saying that Democracy is much better, but at least we don't go jailing people for political views.

And therein lies the conspiracy, the unreported collusion with the oppressors. Or not, we don't know.

Yitzhak Rabin

Nick_oliveri wrote: »

Think about that for a minute, the ramifications for complying far outweigh the ramifications for not complying.

Not for Yahoo. Not complying could have landed their employees in jail, and/or their company being expelled from China. While the ramifications for free speech movement in China are greater in compliance, for Yahoo non-compliance would have worse. I am not excusing their actions, just simply stating it from a business point of view.

And for Google to operate in China, are these the same policies that they have to operate under? How many arrests go unreported or the source of the information squashed. They are operating in a communist dictatorship.

While google do collude with the government in censorship, and I can speak from first hand experience having studied in China for a year. There are signs however, that google does at least try to limit the influence of the government. For example they won't store there email servers there, and as a result cannot be compelled as Yahoo were to provide information from private emails.

Not that I am saying that Democracy is much better, but at least we don't go jailing people for political views.

In fairness, democracy is ALOT better. A republican democracy is about as fair and open a system as we can conceive of yet. There are some trade off of liberties for order, but the benefits of which far outweigh the consequences.

And therein lies the conspiracy, the unreported collusion with the oppressors. Or not, we don't know.

You are right we don't know, if I was forced to bet, I'd probaby have to agree with you on this one that alot of it goes unreported.

Nick_oliveri

yekahs wrote: »

Not for Yahoo. Not complying could have landed their employees in jail, and/or their company being expelled from China. While the ramifications for free speech movement in China are greater in compliance, for Yahoo non-compliance would have worse. I am not excusing their actions, just simply stating it from a business point of view.

It would have been for a better cause, it would have raised awareness if these employees went off the grid because yahoo would have known about it and could have reported it. In this case, capitalism, oppression and dictatorships won the battle. And thats one of the thing I mean when I say democracy is not much better (for another thread), because its the capitalist ideals that were born and fed in our system. And as you are stating it from a business point of view, which of the two (capitalism and oppression) is less abhorrent for you in this specific case? I think they met in the middle.

You are right we don't know, if I was forced to bet, I'd probably have to agree with you on this one that a lot of it goes unreported.

Its not at all ludicrous to think for a second what policies and information Google would have to pander to under this regime. Why is it that its not hard to accept wrong doings going on behind the scenes in this regime and its so hard to accept the notion in our own system(as was discussed in this thread). I think thats very interesting. And its a testament to the ridicule and labeling of theories (or the idea that big ****/corruption goes down behind the scenes in our "free society") into conspiracy. We are in a comfort zone in this political and social ideology. Again, quite off-topic but interesting none the less.

Lab_Mouse

Google/Yahoo arent the internet.They are search engines and are ran as businesses.So its not all that surprising that they rolled over to the chinese government(2 billion chinese..thats a lot of click throughs on google ad's!and a lot of income to lose out on over morals).

Lot of company's dont give a **** about china's human rights as all they are interested in is $ and the making of dollars.

<modsnip>Quit taking the piss out of other posters. The paragraph I've snipped was pretty transparent. Do something like that again and I won't bother snipping your post, I'll just ban you.<modsnip>

Nick_oliveri

You are making my points for me. Thanks! Google and Yahoo are certainly leading the way for a brighter tomorrow. Again, born out of our system.

Lab_Mouse wrote: »

Google/Yahoo aren't the Internet.They are search engines and are ran as businesses.So its not all that surprising that they rolled over to the Chinese government(2 billion Chinese..thats a lot of click throughs on google ad's!and a lot of income to lose out on over morals).

My heart would certainly bleed for them and their billions and their shareholders if they lost out in China. But then again thats all that matters isn't it. Screw over the naive, the gullible and the vulnerable to make a few dineros.

In effect, they (Google, Yahoo etc.) categorize and make the Internet more accessible - I know I would in all honesty be lost without Google and Wiki (never Yahoo) and all the other search engines. What is information when its censored across the board on all search engines? What is the Internet then? A propaganda tool? Dis-information? An "information superhighway"? Sure, lets all allow the Internet to become closed. It doesn't just affect the Chinese information at present, it affects our ability to see true information coming out of China. I see no win there, only lose/lose.

Brian

Well, things have changed, anyway.

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=nexus%20one&gbv=2

Mac daddy

Loads of links and pics of it

http://www.google.com/phone