Don't Be Evil

Google took a major step today towards living up to its corporate motto: "Don't be evil." In announcing it will no longer continue to censor Internet content in China, Google has taken an important step for free speech and Internet privacy. Stating that it will adhere to this decision even if it means the company is not allowed to do business in China, the company has surprised the corporate world.

This comes after the company and its g-mail accounts, largely those of Chinese human rights activists, were targeted. The attack apparently has a similarity to the attacks uncovered by Canadian researchers at the University of Toronto. In the Canadian case a surveillance system known as "Ghostnet" was used to hack into government computers and scan documents.

In both the Canadian and Google cases it appears that the attacks originate from within China. The logical conclusion as to responsibility for the cyber-espionage is the Chinese government. Working to suppress dissent, the Chinese continue to make a mockery of human rights. Using cyber-crime as a means to do so should not be tolerated.

As I argued in my previous column, the time has come to boycott China. The Chinese government has demonstrated to the world that it does not respect international law through its continued cyber-crimes. They have also repeatedly demonstrated they do not care for human life through their continued production of toxic toys.

Have we become so economically dependent on China that we will continue to look the other way while they trample human rights and crush dissent? Google is trying to live up to its motto. How about us living up to our beliefs in free speech? Spend and extra dollar and buy a product not made in China - if you can find one.