- BEIJING (Reuters) - China
appears to have blocked leading search engine Google, sparking speculation
of a crackdown on Internet content viewed as subversive ahead of a Communist
Party congress in November.
-
- The U.S.-based Web site, which has become popular among
Internet surfers in China because of its simplicity and ability to run
thorough Chinese-language Web searches, was inaccessible via Chinese servers
as early as Saturday, users said.
-
- "It's being blocked out of Beijing," said one
industry insider, who follows China's regulation of the Internet closely
and used his computer to confirm and pinpoint the block.
-
- The government openly attempts to control Web content
in China, where the Internet threatens Communist Party control over the
media. It blocks several foreign news sites and frequently forces domestic
sites to expunge content deemed unwholesome.
-
- An article posted on Web portal NetEase.com said Google
was being blocked because searches could bring up links to pornography,
content associated with the banned spiritual movement Falun Gong and information
deemed harmful to national security.
-
- China's media censors tend to be particularly edgy during
politically sensitive times, analysts said, and a Google block may be an
attempt to sweep up ahead of the Party congress, which is expected to see
sweeping leadership changes.
-
- It was the first time the government had blocked access
to an Internet search engine, analysts said.
-
- "It's pretty surprising," said Nathan Midler,
a senior analyst at International Data Corp in Beijing. "Google, as
a search engine, doesn't necessarily conjure up the idea of a Web site
worth blocking."
-
- There was no official announcement and officials at the
Ministry of Information Industry were unavailable for comment. Google officials
in California could not be reached.
-
- In May, China lifted blocks on the overseas Web sites
of several Western news agencies, including Reuters, but other news sites
and politically sensitive Web sites are still unavailable.
-
- POPULAR SITE
-
- Analysts say Google has caught on quickly in China, becoming
a top choice for searching Chinese sites alongside leading Chinese portals
Sina.com and Sohu.com.
-
- "It's a very, very popular tool and there's a major
hassle factor," said Duncan Clark, head of Beijing-based tech consultancy
BDA China Ltd.
-
- "But ultimately, in the run up to something like
the Party congress, it's 'batten down the hatches!'," he said.
- Last week, President Jiang Zemin met Party propaganda
chiefs from around the country and told them it was critical to create
a "good atmosphere" for the congress starting on November 8.
-
- Unlike Sohu and Sina, Google's headquarters are in the
United States and it does not yet have operations in China.
-
- "It's not like Sina or Sohu where all they need
to do is make a phone call and they can remedy the situation. It doesn't
even matter if they make a phone call, Google is not going to do anything
as a result of it," IDC's Midler said.
-
- The Google block highlights the risks associated with
the Internet business in China, Midler said.
-
- "Internet market growth can be hampered, and will
be hampered probably, because of the government influence and the government's
concern about controlling content on the Internet," he said. "There's
a certain element of risk involved."
-
- Tough new Internet regulations and a self-censorship
pledge taken in March by 130 major Web portals, including Yahoo Inc, have
drawn fire from critics who say they are sacrificing freedom of expression
for business.
-
- Despite the apparent block on Google, Yahoo, which uses
Google for searches, was still available in China.
-
- Copyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly
prohibited without the written consent of Reuters Limited
|