Censorship by Google is Google corporation's willful removal or lack of inclusion of certain information from its services. Such policies have resulted in controversy and have drawn accusations of ethics violations and bias. Image File history File links Merge-arrow. ... It has been suggested that Censorship by Google be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about the corporation. ...

Web search

Germany and France

On October 22, 2002, a study reported that approximately 113 Internet sites had been removed from the German and French versions of Google.^[1] This censorship mainly affected White Nationalistic, Nazi, anti-semitic, and radical Islamic websites. Under French and German law, hate speech and Holocaust denial are illegal. Google complies with these laws by not including sites containing such material in its search results. There is no direct way to check whether a search has been affected in this way. is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... For other uses, see Censor. ... // White nationalism (WN) advocates a racial definition (or redefinition) of national identity, as opposed to multiculturalism. ... Nazism in history Nazi ideology Nazism and race Outside Germany Related subjects Lists Politics Portal         Nazism, or National Socialism (German: Nationalsozialismus), refers primarily to the totalitarian ideology and practices of the Nazi Party (National Socialist German Workers Party, German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP) under Adolf Hitler. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Hate speech is a controversial term for speech intended to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against a person or group of people based on their race, gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, language ability, moral or political views, socioeconomic class, occupation or appearance... Richard Harwoods Did Six Million Really Die? Holocaust denial is the claim that the mainstream historical version of the Holocaust is either highly exaggerated or completely falsified. ...

Google Germany allows no links through AdWords to websites containing images of naked people, going so far as to even ban sites displaying nude male upper torsos.^[2]

China

Main article: Google China

Comparing Image Search results of, "Tiananmen" on Google.com (English) and Google China (July 18, 2007)

Two "sensitive" images slip through the net on Page 5 of the Image Search results of, "Tiananmen" on Google China (February 15, 2006).

Controversy has occurred over Google's decision to adhere to the Internet censorship policies of China, colloquially known as "The Great Firewall of China". Google.cn search results are filtered so as not to bring up any results concerning the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, sites supporting the independence movements of Tibet and Taiwan or the Falun Gong movement, and other information perceived to be harmful to the People's Republic of China (PRC). This is interpreted by some activists as contrary to the "Don't Be Evil" corporate philosophy of Google. The Google China logo Google China (谷歌, pinyin: gǔ gē, lit. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 788 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1279 × 973 pixel, file size: 643 KB, MIME type: image/png) Fair use because no freely replaceable version exists. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 788 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1279 × 973 pixel, file size: 643 KB, MIME type: image/png) Fair use because no freely replaceable version exists. ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x964, 127 KB) Summary This is a continuation of Image:Google-censorship. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x964, 127 KB) Summary This is a continuation of Image:Google-censorship. ... is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Internet censorship in the Peoples Republic of China is conducted under a wide variety of laws and administrative regulations. ... The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, commonly referred to as the Tiananmen Square Massacre,[1] were a series of demonstrations led by students, intellectuals, and labor activists in the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) between April 15 and June 4, 1989. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Falun Gong, (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; literally Practice of the Wheel of Law) also known as Falun Dafa, (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; lit. ... Dont Be Evil is the informal corporate motto (or slogan) for Google, established by Sergey Brin, who claimed it was a powerful and benevolent principle for Google and other organizations — corporations in particular. ...

The PRC, whose human rights have been criticized by people in both China and the international community, has in the past restricted citizen access to popular search engines such as Altavista, Yahoo!, and Google. The mirror search site elgooG has been used by users in mainland China to get around blocked content. This complete ban has since been lifted. However, the government remains active in filtering Internet content. In October 2005, Blogger and access to the Google Cache were made available in mainland China; however, in December 2005, some mainland Chinese users of Blogger reported that their access to the site was once again restricted. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... “Yahoo” redirects here. ... Googles main pages unusually spartan design, uncluttered appearance and quick loading time have contributed greatly to the sites mass appeal. ... elgooG Logo elgooG is a mirror image (a flipped around image version) of the Google search engine. ... ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In January 2006, Google affirmed its intent to filter certain keywords given to it by the government of the PRC. The restrictions applies to thousands of terms and websites.^[3] The censored content will appear on a website called google.cn. Google was heavily criticized for the move, yet it claims it is necessary to keep the PRC government from blocking Google entirely, as the case of the 2002 block.^[4] The company does not plan to give the government information about the users who search for blocked content, and will inform users of restricted categories.^[5] Google states on its help pages that it does not censor content, but it does block pages as demanded for in certain jurisdictions, such as DMCA requests in the United States. Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a controversial United States copyright law which criminalizes production and dissemination of technology that can circumvent measures taken to protect copyright, not merely infringement of copyright itself, and heightens the penalties for copyright infringement on the Internet. ...

Most Chinese Internet users did not express much concern about Google's choice. Also, Google offers to Chinese Internet users a choice that protects their privacy better than existing search engines available in China, since Google keeps confidential records of its users outside China, unlike domestic search engines that could be compelled by the government to hand over information at any time.^[6] The following message appears at the bottom of the Google search result page whenever results are blocked: "In accordance with local laws and policies, some of the results have not been displayed." Currently, Google is the only major China-based search engine to explicitly inform the user when search results are blocked or hidden. Chinese and Tibetan Internet users have also criticized Google for assisting the Chinese government in repressing its own citizens standing up to the said government and advocating human rights ^[7].

On the other hand, Google has been accused of hypocrisy for agreeing to China's demands and fighting the US government's requests for information concerning Google-users, by groups such as Reporters Without Borders[4]. Critics say that Google had made a great deal of its mission statement, in that it was different from other "evil" Internet corporations, to gain support when it started. Reporters Without Borders, or RWB (French: Reporters sans frontières, Spanish: Reporteros Sin Fronteras, or RSF) is a French origin international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press, founded by its current general-secretary, Robert Menard. ...

On February 14, 2006, some Internet users participated in a "mass breakup with Google" whereby users agreed to boycott Google on Valentine's Day to show their disapproval of the Google China policy.^[8][9] is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Valentines Day (disambiguation). ...

Japan

On October 18, 2007, some Internet BBS and blogs reported that Google had delisted Hatsune Miku and Kameda & Naito on image search. Dentsu asked Google to drop Hatsune Miku to hide its exitence and promote the virtual idol project Kyoko Date which it and Horipro backs. TBS asked images of Taiki Kameda to be delisted, especially any images that could be tied to fouls committed on the match against the reigning champion Daisuke Naito which include a backdrop, attempts to scratch and worsen Naito's wounds, attempts of thumbing Naito's eyes, and his second Shiro Kameda shouting to Daiki to commit any fouls to hurt Naito. is the 291st day of the year (292nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Vocaloid is a singing synthesizer application software developed by the Yamaha Corporation that enables users to synthesize singing by just typing in lyrics and melody. ... Dentsu Building in Shiodome, Tokyo Dentsu Inc. ... Horipro Inc. ... The acronym TBS may refer to: Broadcasting networks: Turner Broadcasting System, an international media company whose assets include the TBS cable network Tokyo Broadcasting System, a TV station in Tokyo, Japan TBS Radio & Communications, a radio station in Tokyo founded by the above Taiwan Broadcasting System Other: Tablespoon Taking Back... Daisuke Naito (内藤 大助, born August 30, 1974) is a professional boxer from Japan. ...

Japanese are rapidly boycotting Google. The share of Google decreased by 30 points in Japan after the event.

"google" meant the search in Japan. After the event, "google" came to mean the censorship in Japan.

Scientology

In 2002 Google was found to have censored websites that provided information about Scientology, in compliance with the United States' DMCA legislation.[5] [6] Doctrine Practices Concepts People Public outreach Organization Controversy Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by American pulp fiction author L. Ron Hubbard in 1952 as an outgrowth of his earlier self-help system, Dianetics. ... The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a United States copyright law which implements two 1996 WIPO treaties. ...

Google replaced the banned results with links to the DMCA complaint that caused the site to be removed. The DMCA complaint contains the site to be removed, and the organizations that requested the removal (e.g. [7]) The publicity stemming from this incident was the impetus for Google's making public of the DMCA notices on the Chilling Effects archive, which archives legal threats of all sorts made against Internet users and Internet sites.[8] Chilling Effects is a collaboration between several law school clinics and the Electronic Frontier Foundation to protect lawful online activity from legal threats. ...

Criticism of Child Pornography operation

On the 21st of September, 2006 [9], it was reported that Google had 'delisted' Inquisition 21st Century [10], a website which claims to challenge moral authoritarian and sexually absolutist ideas in the United Kingdom. According to Inquisition 21 themselves, Google was acting "in support of a campaign by law enforcement agencies in the US and UK to suppress emerging information about their involvement in major malpractice", allegedly exposed by their own investigation of and legal action against those who carried out Operation Ore, a groundbreaking, far reaching and much criticized law enforcement campaign against the viewers of child pornography [11]. Operation Ore is a large-scale international police operation that commenced in 1999 intending to indict thousands of users of websites featuring child pornography. ...

News search

Sites critical of Islam

In early 2006 Google removed several news sites from its news search engine because complaints were received about various articles that were critical of Islam.^[10][11] These included the The New Media Journal, which contained phrasing such as in the "World of Islam ... it is common for the men to have multiple wives, and harvest many children with each of his wives to train for martyrdom." Other sites removed included MichNews and The Jawa Report. Google News is an automated news aggregator provided by Google Inc. ...

These sites remain accessible from Google's main search page as normal, but are no longer included in Google News. Google responded by stating that "We do not allow articles and sources expressly promoting hate speech viewpoints in Google News, although referencing hate speech for commentary and analysis is acceptable". Hate speech is a controversial term for speech intended to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against a person or group of people based on their race, gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, language ability, moral or political views, socioeconomic class, occupation or appearance...

YouTube

YouTube, a video sharing website and subsidiary of Google, has a Terms of Service that prohibits the posting of videos which violate copyrights or depict pornography, illegal acts, gratuitous violence, or hate speech.^[12] User-posted videos that violate such terms may be removed and replaced with a message stating "This video has been removed due to terms of use violation." YouTube is a popular video sharing website where users can upload, view and share video clips. ... A video hosting service allows individuals to upload video clips to an Internet website. ... Terms of Service (often abbreviated as ToS) are rules by which one must agree to abide by in order to use a service. ... Not to be confused with copywriting. ... Porn redirects here. ... Hate speech is a controversial term for speech intended to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against a person or group of people based on their race, gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, language ability, moral or political views, socioeconomic class, occupation or appearance...

Google Maps

In March 2007, satellite imagery on Google Maps showing post-Hurricane Katrina damage in the U.S. state of Louisiana was replaced with images from before the storm.^[13] This imagery is still available in KML format, as Google's official blog points out, which can be viewed in Google Earth or Google Maps.^[14] Satellite imagery consists of photographs of Earth or other planets made from artificial satellites. ... Google Maps (for a time named Google Local) is a free web mapping service application and technology provided by Google that powers many map-based services including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder and embedded maps on third-party websites via the Google Maps API. It offers street maps... This article is about the Atlantic hurricane of 2005. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Google Earth is a virtual globe program that was originally called Earth Viewer and was created by Keyhole, Inc. ...

Large areas of Saudi-Arabia, Egypt and Lebanon are also replaced with fake desert.

In addition, there are other instances where it appears that Google Maps uses satellite map images with missing or unclear data, including Vice President Dick Cheney's residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory,^[15] as seen here. : Part of Noordwijk aan Zee obscured by blurring regions. ... Richard Bruce Dick Cheney (born January 30, 1941), is the forty-sixth and current Vice President of the United States, the President of the Senate. ... Aerial view of USNO. The United States Naval Observatory (USNO) is one of the oldest scientific agencies in the United States. ...

Advertising

In February 2003, Google stopped showing the adverts of Oceana, a two-and-a-half-year-old non-profit organization, which was protesting the environmental effects of a major cruise ship operation's sewage treatment practices. Google claimed that their editorial policy states, "that Google does not accept advertising if the ad or site advocates against other individuals, groups, or organizations."^[16] The policy has since been changed.^[17] Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Oceana was founded in 2001 as an international marine conservation and advocacy organization and, in 2002, merged with the American Oceans Campaign, which was co-founded in 1987 by actor/activist Ted Danson. ...

In October 2007, Google banned advertisements from Maine U.S. Senator Susan Collins' reelection campaign on the basis that the ads violated Google's trademark policy. The ads contained the words "Help Susan Collins stand up to the MoveOn.org money machine."^[18] Google banned the ad because it contained a trademarked name, which Google cited as as a violation of its trademark policy. However, Google routinely permits the unauthorized use of company names like Exxon and Wal-Mart, and an ad running at the time of the article read "Keep Blackwater in Iraq?" and directed to an article entited "Bastards at Blackwater — Should Blackwater Security be held accountable for the deaths of its employees?" Susan Margaret Collins (born December 7, 1952, in Caribou, Maine) is an American politician, the junior U.S. Senator from Maine and a Republican. ... Blackwater can refer to: Blackwater River, the name of numerous rivers. ...

Shareholder initiatives

On May 10, 2007, shareholders of Google voted down an anti-censorship proposal for the company. The text of the failed proposal stated that: is the 130th day of the year (131st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... A shareholder or stockholder is an individual or company (including a corporation) that legally owns one or more shares of stock in a joint stock company. ...

1. Data that can identify individual users should not be hosted in Internet-restricting countries, where political speech can be treated as a crime by the legal system.
2. The company will not engage in pro-active censorship.
3. The company will use all legal means to resist demands for censorship. The company will only comply with such demands if required to do so through legally binding procedures.
4. Users will be clearly informed when the company has acceded to legally binding government requests to filter or otherwise censor content that the user is trying to access.
5. Users should be informed about the company's data retention practices, and the ways in which their data is shared with third parties.
6. The company will document all cases where legally binding censorship requests have been complied with, and that information will be publicly available.

David Drummond, senior vice president for corporate development, said "Pulling out of China, shutting down Google.cn, is just not the right thing to do at this point....but that's exactly what this proposal would do."^[19] Internet censorship is control or suppression of the publishing or accessing of information on the Internet. ...

CEO Eric Schmidt and founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin recommended that shareholders vote against the proposal. Together they hold 66.2 percent of Google's total shareholder voting power.^[20] Dr. Eric E. Schmidt is Chairman and CEO of Google Inc. ... For the music producer/manager, see Larry Page (British singer and manager). ... Sergey Brin (Russian: ) (born August 21, 1973) is a Russian American entrepreneur. ...

References

Harvard Law School (colloquially, Harvard Law or HLS) is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. ... is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... BBC News is the department within the BBC responsible for the corporations news-gathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ... is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ... is the 47th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... YouTube is a popular video sharing website where users can upload, view and share video clips. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 129th day of the year (130th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 129th day of the year (130th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Google Censorship - How It Works
• Localized Google search result exclusions
• Report examines a newspaper-led campaign to have a site removed from both its host and the Google search index
• Unofficial Google Censorship FAQ
• The Anti-Google search engine index: List of alternate and uncensored search engines