LINGsCARS - BBC Radio Newcastle - my fight with Google!

LING SLAMS GOOGLE

FLAMBOYANT Gateshead businesswoman Ling Valentine has slammed internet giants Google for censoring web content in her native country of China.

Google has launched a Chinese version of its search tool that excludes information censored by the government. Search results omit independent websites from searches about human rights, Tibet and other topics sensitive to Beijing. Instead, users are directed to websites espousing the government's views on such issues. This comes at the same time as Google's refusal to bow to pressure by the US government to release details of individual search queries.

Ling sells £1m worth of cars every month. As she celebrates the Chinese New Year, she says the decision by Google is a good example of why doing business in the North East of England is far easier than in China: "This sort of thing is exactly why I decided to set up my business in England. Here, you can make a success of a business without the Government breathing down your neck. My website would be shut down in China. Over there, it's difficult to be outlandish and become a creative entrepreneur. By bowing to Beijing, Google is holding back China's economic development. Google is helping the Government to suppress embarrassing economic or political stories. It is a backwards step for entrepreneurs in the country. "I find it ironic that Google is happy to protect American pornography enthusiasts and not Chinese users. I'm disappointed in Google for wimping out to a repressive regime. Unlike the UK, the internet in China is becoming more and more isolated from the outside world and freedom of expression is shrinking not growing. "I wouldn't be surprised if Google suffered a backlash from the consumers it's so keen to reach when they realize the company is helping China's censorship ministers."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• LINGsCARS
• Ling
• Valentine
• BBC
• Radio
• Newcastle
• Car
• Cars
• Rent
• Cheap
• Contract
• Hire
• Google
• Human
• Rights
• China
• Dragons
• Den

[fffffdsa]

well... how about western media's slander or lies of tibet and xinjiang issues?

i am sure what china is doing is good for china's developement and unity and grow peacefully as a country.

[carmalishiss]

Ling you rock... courageous! Are you on facebook? We need you there in the Chinese Propaganda Awareness grp... and to have dialog with the Chinese Nationalist grps that are made up mostly of Chinese living in the west.

FREEDOM, PROSPERITY,& SECURITY, FOR ALL!