Ethics, strategy and user relevance: The case of Google.cn (Response to: Google vs. Chinaʹs “Great Firewall”: Ethical Implications for Free Speech and Sovereignty)

This article echoes the discussion of ethical issue regarding the withdrawal of Google.cn from Mainland China in early 2010 which was initially raised by the article “Google vs. Chinaʹs ‘Great Firewall”. Based on our observations and analyses, we argue that neither Google.cnʹs entry of China market in 2006 nor its departure in 2010 was out of ethical consideration as proclaimed. Particularly, we conclude that Google was primarily politicizing its departure of China by accusing the information censorship rules of China as the main culprit.