Google Leaves China, Chinese Netizen Reactions

Chinese girl lights candle outside Google China's Beijing office.

Yesterday morning, Google announced that they have closed google.cn and are forwarding users to google.com.hk. This is of course big news but the news has been very carefully controlled.

From NetEase:

网易黑龙江哈尔滨网友:

The reason I like Google is because I can search related information, can access many foreign material for reference.
Here I must mention Baidu. Baidu’s search is indeed not that good, but Baidu Zhidao [similar to Yahoo! Answers] is very useful~
But forcefully and maliciously installing IE plugins/software, I hate! (I usually just use Baidu to listen to music.)
Now there are only these two search engines. One has left. Us Chinese netizens have no choice/can do nothing. We can only use Baidu(The things you can search on Yahoo and other search engines are not really to my liking).
Just looking at the present. Google, I want to say to you, I used to really like using your search engine.
But you want to treat a purely commercial incident as China-US relations political weight. Then that is you being wrong.

网易广东广州网友:

Google is only a company, it has no right to make irresponsible remarks about China’s affairs. Those who can observe China’s laws, China more than welcomes, but those who cannot observe, please find another place to go, we definitely won’t force you to stay. During this Google incident, Google has clearly overestimated itself, thinking it can hold hostage the governments of both China and America, only regretting that in the end it “tried to steal the chicken but lost the bait” [started out trying to hurt others but ended up being hurt], and allowed itself to dejectedly be swept out the door.

网易广东深圳网友:

Search on Baidu and it is full of advertisements!!! FK!

网易湖北武汉网友:

Well done, government, those in support, ding me!

网易陕西西安网友:

Google in China is just a small company. No matter how bad Baidu is, its market share is still 76%.
That failed Google was forced out by other competing companies shows that Google is not good enough/cannot succeed.
Google insisting on finding a reason for its failure is what I despise the most.
With this kind of company, forget failing, even if it died no one would sympathize!

网易湖南长沙网友:

If you need anything, please Baidu it! To be honest, Google’s search function is indeed better than Baidu! Because the stuff you can find is indeed much more abundant than Baidu, but [I am not saying this] to glorify Google. If Google wants a place within China, then it needs to respect and observer China’s laws when doing business. Foreign companies that don’t respect China’s laws and culture leaving, well that is inevitable. At the same time, I hope Baidu can improve on the search front!

网易江苏盐城网友:

If it is going to leave, then leave cleanly. Kick it thoroughly out of China.

网易浙江杭州网友:

I personally believe that Google, you as a company, here doing business, you must observer China’s laws. Moreover, you also should not find fault with China’s political issues. Doing this will only make us dislike you guys even more.

网易火星网友:

Google’s decision this time is a failure, with Google exiting the market as the only result; Hong Kong is likewise China’s territory, and Hong Kong’s legislature also wants filtering, because what is not allowed domestically cannot be allowed in Hong Kong. I have already uninstalled Google from my computer. I support the government’s decision, and the government cannot possibly give in…

网易北京海淀网友:

I just know that on this piece of land that is the mainland, any media company, whether internet or newspaper, cannot be independent, because the Party manages the media.

网易河北廊坊网友:

Google is simply insulting us, repeatedly saying it will withdraw from China, but now running to Hong Kong. Hong Kong is also China’s. This is truly insisting on being shameless. Without you, Chinese people will live on as usual. With you, it is extremely annoying. Hope you will never come back.

网易云南楚雄州楚雄网友:

Google, I used to always use you, but you have too TMD disappointed me. Get lost, I will go use the slightly more garbage Baidu.

网易安徽合肥网友:

With netizens from all around the country, how can all the speech and slogans be so similar/consistent? Oh, right, I had forgotten that there are also foreign comrades and many international friends.

Slogans, anyone can shout. Shouting back and forth and the nationalism comes out.

网易美国网友:

Mainlanders, congratulations, you can no longer use Google. It is so dark there! With any bad thing so easily searched out, I recommend that you guys just go ahead and shut out the outside internet, and establish the world’s largest LAN.

Google China's Beijing office, with a People's Republic of China flag in front.

Many Chinese netizen comments have been deleted or hidden and most comments that remain visible clearly support the government or are critical of Google. You can see this in the translated comments from NetEase above.

On KDS, a popular Shanghai BBS discussion forum, I was able to find some comments in support of Google or critical of the government before they were deleted. KDS moderators first deleted posts with many replies before deleting the smaller posts with fewer replies. Many posts were deleted while I was still collecting comments from them.

From KDS:

绵羊心:

First, I don’t believe the what the ZF says, and this has nothing to do with whether or not I like Google, it only relates the ZF‘s behavior. Next, I like Google, because the value of their first page of information [search results] is higher than Baidu. I am a consumer, don’t care about whatever dog fart politics, nor would I think of everything from a political perspective, but from a consumer’s perspective, I like Google, and no longer having Google I think is really regrettable.

奥巴牛:

There are only two types of people who will be happy: 1, wumao , 2, Baidu.

萝卜:

With regards to Google withdrawing I do not feel any happiness, but instead feel that it is very regrettable. Google’s product is the various types of information you can search, and inspecting the product before it leaves the factory to see if it is acceptable is a very normal thing. The information that can be found on Google are not just those sensitive words that must be filtered. If you like to use Google to search for scientific and technical information, what impact does filtering out those sensitive words have?

爱如空气:

It is obvious through use that Google’s [search results] value is higher than Baidu. Baidu is really too lousy.

Freddie:

Wumao wishes Google would make a row every month.
1. Always material to write about.
2. “Fees” have caps and are disbursed monthly, benefits can be maximized.
3. If a LAN is really established, then many people will probably lose this job.

蓝色诱惑:

Wumao are rampant, they better secure their overtime pay. What we need is the truth, how are sensitive terms defined? What will not die is whatever TG [The Government] says, that everything that it does not like are sensitive words, keeping the people in the dark. 

Google refuses to eat shit anymore, leave a table with Baidu, Soso, and Sogou (Chinese search engines).

[Translation: "Too fucking stinky! I'm not fucking eating with you guys anymore!"]

睡乾陇:

Compared to Google, Baidu is simply garbage.

Only knowing how to take money and put advertisements, with all the search results being advertisements for garbage.

The principle of web search is that what you searched for is what is, so manipulated search results is simply garbage.

We can all think, we don’t need other people to tell us what is right and what is wrong, we can collect information from various angles and judge for ourselves, only those people who have done guilty things would screen/filter information.

stuka:

Google will forever be in my heart!

FLY D:

The absolute most basic point, competition is good for consumers. The more intense the competition, the more benefits for us, and the service we get more thorough.
Whenever something no longer has competition and becomes a monopoly, then we suffer.

MJ的马甲:

Actually I am not indignant, only that us not being able to engage in normal internet activity after a certain government attaches some labels to mainstream large websites one after another, I can’t help comforting myself as well as feeling threatened. With the speech we have nowadays, what’s wrong with this??

tian:

Google is the world’s top level creative company, Baidu is garbage.

葱油伴面:

Can search engines only be used to search for anti-D [党, dang, the Communist Party] and sex?

Don’t you know that I use Google everyday to search for many technical data? Why don’t I use Baidu? Because I can’t find it on Baidu. Or the information I find requires that I spend more energy to sort through.

adai:

I seeking true search results, and hate those manipulated Baidu search results! It is painful right now, having to wait and see [what happens next]…

sossmart:

At the critical moment, Hong Kong shows where it is superior. Hong Kong people are so lucky.

绵羊心:

Many of the documents in my dissertation were found on Google Academic Edition [?], and this too was something my mentor recommended to me. The ZF doing this really hurts those of us ordinary common people who do not care about politics.

A Chinese woman walks past the Google China sign.

It is important to say that many comments (before they were deleted) that support Google did not support Google’s decision to leave China. Many Chinese netizens disagree with the government’s censorship but do not agree with Google’s actions and feel that Google leaving China is a very regrettable outcome.

From KDS:

The news about Google on Sohu has nearly 600 responses all cursing Google, with not a single one in support of Google. We cannot help but admire our Party’s superior technology and the people’s high degree of unity. The consequences of Google’s exit are evident.

duck:

Wumao need to eat too, right?

桥mm:

The era of the internet black society has come.

马勒格彼得:

What I care about is how many posts have been deleted.

king:

You can randomly comment about the Google incident in the comments for other news items, and then it will definitely be a mess.

isrufile:

On one hand saying our internet is free, on another hand wanting to filter information,
this is already shameless to new level.

囧囧有神:

Upon checking the backend, several dozen IDs are all from one IP.

kodoku:

It isn’t just Sohu, various major websites are all like this. The problem is that YP have all be brainwashed or is it that the wumao has collectively come out?

无伐是名匪:

Sina and Sohu’s comments you actually believe/trust? IQ… [don't be stupid]

FredTheRed:

I changed my signature on Kaixin001 this afternoon, and now it won’t show anymore.
“Farewell Google.cn. It is now already Google.com.hk”

Many flowers placed on Google China's sign in Beijing.

From KDS:

和谐者:

Ding LZ, GG [谷歌 gu ge, Google] is too useless, not worth being respected, not helping anyone, its words even more fake than the ZF.

铁牛哥哥:

Don’t rush, it is now the Chinese Communist Party’s move in this chess game, Google already made its move.
It is too early to say who will win and who will lose.

W.S.Q:

A company wanting to fight a country, is there a possibility of success?

★上山论贱:

Google should be even tougher, if they are leaving China then they shouldn’t let Chinese people visit/use any Google services, including GMail.

里斯霍恩:

Google: How much is an Avatar movie ticket?
Avatar movie ticket has increased in price, 120 yuan.
Google: So expensive, I won’t buy it.
Okay.
Google: If you truly consider 120 yuan, then I won’t buy your movie ticket.
Ah?
Google: No no, I still want to watch Avatar.
So are you going to buy or not?
Google: But with you selling at 120 yuan, I will still consider not watching.
Person in line: Are you TM going to buy or not?!
Mental retard: Well done! Forcing the cinema to lower from 120 to 100.

yaojing:

I see it the other way, Google’s move is too beautiful, how come I didn’t think of it!

Everyone think about it, transferring to Hong Kong, first, this place is still considered China, I think 90% of Chinese agree (10% mental retards don’t count), and Hong Kong, whether culturally, economically, or other aspects are all superior to the mainland.

Google being in this place that is still considered part of China where it can operate an unfiltered search engine without encountering the opposition of this part of China’s government, what does this demonstrate? It amply demonstrates that the filtering system is unreasonable, that all of the harmful information is simply not harmful to Chinese people, because if it were harmful to Chinese people, then why doesn’t the Hong Kong government blacklist them???

After everyone understands this problem, everyone should ask, why can’t we see the things those Hong Kong people can see??? Aren’t we all Chinese people???

Too beautiful! Google, you have once again made me admire you!

Poll

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See Also:

  • “Google Losing the Message” (china/divide)
  • “Google Redirects! But Will The Chinese Government Block?!” (china/divide)
  • “Google’s Hong Kong Gambit Is Public Relations Victory” (china/divide)

See what Hong Kong people can see. chinaSMACK personals.

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  1. Any idea where the server which hosts this side resides in?? Mainland china??

  2. Any idea where the server which hosts this site resides in?? Mainland china??

  3. It is common sense that any companies incorporated in another countries must follow the local laws and regulations with due respect. To me, this incient should just be a commerical decision, but it is so shameful of Google to make it so political.

  4. use Cuil.com
    Better than google, more intelligent search results.

  5. With the recent Google events it is unusual that such a distasteful Expat forum the Beijinger has existed unchecked by the local Chinese authorities and internet censors for so long.

    Racist comments, the favourite used words of the day to describe Chinese people being “nong” and before “chongle” which are both very derogatory terms for Chinese people, swear words, inappropriate sexual comments, violent threats are the norm on the Beijinger every day.

    Let us take a quick look at just three of the most prolific posters there to highlight this point, Herojuana, Alex the Droog and Monkey King.

    Herojuana is by far one of the most racist, abusive, violent and foul mouthed. His real name is Chad Pearson, a journalism major from Canada who used to work for English First. He lives in Beijing with his Chinese partner.

    Here are some of his gems:

    Posted by: herojuana on Oct 31, 2009 10:28am

    If you can speak Chinese, just tell Chinese people to fuck off. Tell them to shut up.
    All the time.
    When they talk about you in Chinese, call them out on it. Call them stupid. Scream at them in Chinese.
    It scares the crap out of them.
    Ask them if they have a problem. “Ni you wen ti ma?”
    “NI YOU WEN TI MA?”
    After awhile, at least in the places you frequent, people will learn to shut the fuck up and not disrespect you, simply out of fear.
    I don’t care if they don’t respect me, I want them to shut the fuck up and quit treating me like a mutant.

    Posted by: herojuana on Jan 14, 2010 6:44pm

    Russia has a lot more women than men.
    The Russian women are a potential market for rich Chinese men who somehow can’t find a bride (hahaha), but the poor Chinese men are screwed.
    The funniest thing about this situation is that they did it to themselves. All those female abortions and murders are coming back to haunt them in a big way.
    “Man better! If China have many man, China very powerful! Woman weak! No want girl baby!”
    The fact is that the average Chinese guy doesn’t have a lot to offer. If he’s got money he’s got hope.
    D’oh!

    He even accuses another forum member of being a rapist:

    Posted by: herojuana on Jan 25, 2010 6:02pm

    This girl who KZ tried to force himself on contacted me, asked me to meet her and to ask my help in case rape-face gay nerd KZ continued his “interest” in her. She claims the first time they met, and yes, she agreed to meet him, that he immediately grabbed her and started kissing her, and when she tried to pull away he used force.
    I didn’t say who it was, you can draw your own conclusions but this is the second girl who has contacted me and asked for help because of “date raper” KZ.
    You need some education, KZ. No means no.

    Next is Alex the Droog, allegedly named Mike Robinson from England who is also very racist and posts constant abusive comments about the Chinese Mum of his Chinese fiancée. He is a teacher in Beijing with a TESOL certificate.

    Posted by: alex the droog on Jul 9, 2009 3:48pm
    You can’t teach them not to do it, it’s impossible. You can’t tell them that it’s animalistic behaviour. if you do, you’re in the wrong.
    I’m back in England for the time being, but in Beijing we’ve got my mother in law living with us, and she is the most uncouth, ill-mannered pig I’ve ever encountered.
    She eats like a pig, spits in my house (admittedly in the bin because my missus has warned her) and never showers even though it’s f-ing roasting hot. she’s been there a month and she hasn’t changed clothes once, and she sleeps in her clothes.
    When I tell her to stop eating like a pig and stop making that unbelievably loud masticating sound, she gives me the dirtiest look you can imagine and shouts ‘ni bu li mao!’ so I can see the contents of her mouth. She hates me for it. Yes, me, I’m the one who’s ‘bu li mao’
    So, no, you absolutely cannot stop them behaving like wild animals. If you try, you’re the weirdo and the bad guy.

    Last but not least is the American using the ID Monkey King, allegedly Bill Bloodgood from Ivy Bilingual Kindergarten in Beijing.

    He posted on the forum that he was a chauffeur for Jackie Onassis. That would confirm his age at anywhere between 57 and 70.

    He claims in his posts that he and his pregnant Sichuan wife own and run two kindergartens in Beijing yet he constantly makes racist remarks and even calls his little Chinese students “Nongmob”.

    The nongmob mentality starts early

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 11:06am by Monkey King

    My company runs kindergartens, and my office is in the same building as one of them. So, every now and then I like to take a break and go play with the kids.
    Here’s what happens almost every time. One of the kids will throw a ball at me, or playfully use his/her kung fu on me, and I’ll act like I’m knocked back or surprised, etc. He/she laughs with glee, and does it again. Then another kid notices and joins in. Within 30 seconds I’m being pelted with balls or being pummeled with tiny fists as the entire class joins in. It’s gotten to the point that now, as soon as I walk in the room, they all gang up on me immediately.
    Of course, it’s all in good fun, but it’s rather frightening to know that they’ll be doing the exact same thing in 20 years.
    P.S. I regret using the phrase “pelted with balls”. Knowing this forum, that will come back to haunt me.
    Link: http://www.thebeijinger.com/forum/2009/07/15/The-nongmob-mentality-starts-early

    Then he goes on to make a highly inappropriate comment about young girls from a teachers college in the hinterland of Sichuan three hours from Chengdu. Remember this is a man around sixty at least who has a pregnant Chinese wife. Because his wife cannot speak English well he is safe posting such material.

    Posted by: Monkey King on Nov 27, 2009 12:33pm
    Okay, I’m happy to.
    My business was with a teacher’s college, ergo the student body of 3000+ was 95% female. That’s about 2800 or so young, nubile Sichuan girls.
    After my second day of meetings, I was told that some of the students wanted to “play” with me. Because my wife was with me on the trip, I didn’t give the potential opportunity in such a situation more than a passing thought.
    As it turned out, the playing turned out to be just that–some games on the sports field with about 80 girls and a couple guys. A surprisingly high percentage of the girls were quite attractive, and the men were pretty cool as far as Chinese men go. (In general, I’ve always thought that Sichuanese were the “best” Chinese, on many levels, and this experience only strengthened that belief. Of course, for all I know, I might think even more highly of, say, Fujiangren, if I ever go there.)
    They asked me to teach them some English songs, but they already knew the two or three that came to mind. In fact, they knew a lot more English songs than I did. I’ve noticed previously the much greater emphasis Chinese schools–from preschool on up–place on performing arts than do American schools, and I absolutely believe they’re right to do so.
    I was also invited by a teacher to give a lecture to her class. I don’t know why she thought a random foreigner might have anything worthwhile to say, but I agreed. I talked about being independent, not being afraid to voice your own opinion, and not being afraid to question authority if you doubt what you are being told–you know, the standard fodder we foreigners rely on–or should rely on–when in that situation. The students seemed to enjoy it; the teacher I’m not so sure.
    More than one lovely young thing–okay, two–made it rather clear that they’d be willing to continue “playing” in private. However, like I said, I couldn’t have gotten away with it, so I had to politely decline.
    The college and the town it was in was in a relatively rural area, so the laowai stares came often. These people clearly did not see foreigners very often. However, it really didn’t bother me in the least, like it can in Beijing. There wasn’t the hint of disdain that you pick up in the capital, for one thing. Just curiosity and interest. They also quickly broke eye contact if I stared back, indicating that they were smarter than the average Beijinger as far as knowing how rude it would be to continue staring.
    One night, my associates took me to a hotpot restaurant in the town. This place, aesthetically speaking, was as gorgeous as the best-looking and most expensive restaurants in Beijing, and it was also some of the best hotpot I’ve had. I found it amazing that a restaurant of this calibre could be found out in the middle of nowhere.
    We also spent three nights in Chengdu, which, for my money, is the best city in China. We stayed at a hotel I’d heard good things about–the Buddhazen. Yes, it’s one word, and yes, it’s a cheesy name even if spelled correctly, but this place was better than many 5-star hotels I’ve stayed at for about a third of the cost. I’ll always stay there from now on when in Chengdu and I highly recommend it.
    This post is already too long, but there were a dozen other little things that reminded me of what I liked about China when I first decided to move here, but had more or less forgotten. Of course, being the materialistic and greedy person I am, the B.O.M was my favorite.
    It was nice to feel that positive about being in China again.

    Link: http://www.thebeijinger.com/forum/2009/11/26/A-good-China-week

    So, what about the admin and moderators of the site? One moderator is Andrew Tait from Bonlive TV.

    The admin and mentor of the site is Michael Wester.

    It is hardly surprising that the forum has slipped to such low levels when he himself posted this thread for discussion recently.

    http://www.thebeijinger.com/forum/2010/03/26/Whose-testicles-would-you-rather-flambe-and-feed-to-a-starving-rabid-Pekingnese-lon

    • That was a quick look? I’d hate to see what an in-depth study looks like.

      Anyway, those comments aren’t anything special on an expat website. Everyone vents on them. I’ve seen far more inflammatory right here on Chinasmack.

      I suspect it’s more likely that you have an axe to grind with them. Did you get banned or something?

      Also, I’m not sure what all this has to do with Google.

      • Yeah, that’s exactly right. He’s been banned from the forum numerous times for posting:

        Disgusting porn including child pornography and genital mutilations.

        Stalking other forum users and posting their personal information.

        Threatening other forum members.

        He’s a sick, sick person.

        • Wow, that’s a hell of a lot worse than just a pissed-off ex-forum member.

          He’s clearly put a lot of effort into this post. On the one hand, it indicates a rather serious mental disorder. On the other, at least it was a few hours spent doing something other than dabbling in kiddie porn.

    • A Fair Man = Jamie Andrew Shorter. Shorty is just upset because he was deported from China because he threatened to rape a 12-year-old girl. Shame on China for not worshiping expat pedophiles like you, right, Jamie?

  6. I agree with you Right Said Fred he definitely sounds like a pissed off forum member. And the first two are pretty harmless. But that third guy Monkey King sounds a bit creepy, if he is old and married. Does he really run kindergartens in Beijing? I wouldn’t be sending my kid there.

  7. So you are Herojuana?

  8. This site has lost its way! too many nasty ‘keyboard commandos’ Brave to the extreme in their anonyminiti.

  9. China’s laws are arbitrary. What laws???

  10. Like I said, just like children. Sometimes they’ll scream and cry when you lay down the law but soon they’ll get exhausted and remember who’s boss. The Chinese only care about money, not dignity.

  11. google.cn/music = legitimate, great quality, and extremely fast.

    Baidu music? If you like janky gray market rips.

  12. Apparently the move is catching on. More companies are hopping on the bandwagon:
    http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62N5M720100324

  13. You’re joking right? Stood up for principles? Do you know how many years Google censored in China? Did you know that Google complies with censorship laws in many other countries? Google doesn’t have any principles. The poll is ridiculous because they didn’t even really leave China. The website is now directed to Google HK, and Chinese mainlanders can still access it. Only the results that were censored by Google previously are now being censored by the Chinese government. It makes not a single difference in the end, and Google ends up profiting in China still, and they end up getting good PR from all of this even though they have done NONE of what they said they would do. They’re keeping their sales team there, they are keeping their sales team there, they are not shutting down services and they are actually keeping everything status quo if you think about it.

  14. The whole google affair rings of the ‘Knowtow or you will be expelled’ philosophy of China. Sounds like the George Macartney affair repeating itself again…

    But, ironically for the west, this possibly works more in their favour, with a Chinese population that will work hard at menial jobs requiring no ‘free thinking’ for small salaries, China can make things cheaply to be sold cheaply to the US and Europe, while the west continues to innovate, make more money and buy them cheaply.

  15. A child often call others ‘children’, have you realized that? Your existence help me better to understand why there’s fight between korean $ china…and why the world has never been civiled even many ppl taken enough education. Are you ashamed about putting your adjudgement without dignity here with a korean flag? I am sure some korean citizen who’s with dignity will be shamed to see their ‘kid’ is barking here.

  16. There is also a lot of evidence against that suspicion. As early as December, 2009, Secretary Clinton held a meeting with US Internet company leaders about US foreign policy and the Internet. Weeks later the alleged hacking took place. Short after, Clinton strengthened the tone about Internet affairs, and the US started a row over the RMB.

    I agree that even the 17% share Google held on the Chinese market is not insignificant — the often cited 34% reflect usage of Google in other parts of the world from inside China which was always (and still is) possible and yielded similar results as now accessing google in HK (only that results on the newly erected service are in simplified Hanzi). So Google will lose only part of the profits. Yet I think that was calculated. Google recently was losing acceptance in many Western countries due to their shameless privacy breaches. Thus a bold move towards Western freedom ideals made them the hero and could make up for some of the image losses threatening much higher profits. Beneath that, it clearly was politics.

  17. Too true – in every respect. Not only that but they end up looking morally superior to Microsoft who’s catching shit in America for not having the same backbone. Really very smart all of the benefits – none of the responsibility.

  18. spot on!!! my thoughts exactly. nuff said

  19. The only problem is the GoDaddy’s claim is contrary to actually internet statistic. I had do a project on internet security back in school, and was quite surprised at it. Looks like things haven’t changed much since then.

    http://www.sans.org/top-cyber-security-risks/

  20. It’s long report, the re-cap is that vast majority of internet attacks (70-90%+) is originated from the US, targeting the US. The only of exception of this is “PHP Remote File Include”, which Thailand took the top spot due a single string of attacks coming out of Thailand in 2009.

  21. r u in china? if so, y r u still there?

  22. That’s right, fuck all 2 billion of those Commies, cause only commies would choose to be born in China.

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