China and Google: “Illegal Flower Tribute”

The news that Google will offer uncensored searches in China at the risk of being shut down has caused a stir in China despite the government's efforts to restrict coverage of the story. The response by state-backed media has been predictably critical of Google, even alleging ulterior motives for its actions. Yet, as New Yorker staff writer Evan Osnos posts from Beijing, the “savviest” Web users in China already use proxy servers to post blogs and Twitter feeds beyond the reach of state censors. Fittingly, these netizens have lamented Google's potential exit as the result of Beijing’s bullying, which ironically could lead even more Chinese citizens to start using proxy servers. In a telling sidebar to the story, flowers placed outside of Google's Beijing offices in support for the company were confiscated because those placements had not gone through the necessary bureaucratic channels to obtain permission. Hence, the bouquets were deemed an “illegal flower tribute.” Though Beijing may be able to clear its streets of the evidence of support for the US multinational, cracks in the “Great Firewall” mean that not all dissent can be muted. – YaleGlobal