google.cn

Google forced to change China approach--again

Google's delicate balancing act in China appears to be coming undone.

Google publicly declared its intention in March to move its Chinese-language Internet search operation in Hong Kong in hopes of bypassing censorship laws for companies that operate in mainland China, but the public showdown with the Chinese government never seemed destined for a happy ending. Google announced late Monday night that China will not renew its Internet Content Provider license--a key authorization scheduled to expire Wednesday--unless Google stops redirecting Google.cn visitors to Google.com.hk.

It seems unlikely that its newest strategy will pass scrutiny either. … Read more

Google addresses e-mail, apps concerns in China

Now that China is playing hardball with Google by blocking some of its search results, are Gmail and Google Apps business customers at risk?

The search giant tried to address fears of a loss of service among enterprise customers using Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Docs by offering some technical solutions in a blog posted by the Google Apps team late Tuesday.

For Gmail and Google Apps business customers with operations and employees in China, Google cautioned that the Chinese government could at any time block access to those and other services in mainland China. As a remedy, the company … Read more

Google moves Chinese search to Hong Kong

Updated at 12:43 p.m. and at 1:26 p.m. with additional information.

Google has made its decision on China: it's moving search to Hong Kong.

Google has shut down its Google.cn site and is redirecting users to Google.com.hk, where it will offer uncensored Chinese-language search services. The company will maintain a research and development organization in China as well as a sales office, it announced Monday.

"Figuring out how to make good on our promise to stop censoring search on Google.cn has been hard," Google said in a statement. "… Read more

Google redirects Google.cn to Hong Kong site

Editors' note: Google is moving its Chinese search to Hong Kong. Read our updated coverage here.

In advance of an expected announcement about its plans in China, Google has begun redirecting traffic to its Chinese site through Hong Kong and has removed language warning searchers of censored results from its search results pages.

MarketWatch on Monday reported that preparation for Google's possible exit from China appears to have begun. Visitors to Google.cn are now being redirected to Google.com.hk, with no mention of the shift. In addition, searches that Monday morning produced warning labels reading "according … Read more

CNET News Daily Podcast: Google in China plot thickens

In light of not posting a podcast last Friday, we're back this week with an extra large version. The lead story so far this week is a report of the Chinese government allegedly warning certain Google partner sites that they should look for another search provider. This coincides with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez calling for tighter Internet regulations over the weekend.

Also, the FCC has a new tool for you to test how fast your Internet is; and the electrical problem that led to the runaway Toyota Prius the other day has been unable to be replicated. Whew. Tune … Read more

Google '99.9 percent' sure to shutter Google.cn

Google, seemingly torn between Chinese censorship and Chinese opportunity, is now "99.9 percent" certain that it will shut down its Chinese search engine, Google.cn.

According to a Financial Times source "familiar with the company's thinking," the search giant, having reached an apparent impasse with the Chinese government officials, has drafted detailed plans to close the Chinese search business, though it remains optimistic about finding a way to maintain its overall operations in China.

For Google--which, amid an investigation into alleged Chinese hacking of prominent U.S. Web properties, expressed in January that it … Read more