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Google Service in China Seriously Disrupted

VOA reported that, on November 9, 2012, Google’s online service in China was seriously disrupted. According to Google, starting on Friday morning, Google experienced a sharp drop in the number of its online users. A consumer report from Google indicated that Google’s search engine and email service were down.

According to VOA, the disruption took place during China’s 18th Congress; nor was this the first time it happened. In 2010, after Google announced it would end its online filtering and censorship, its service in China was
shut down a number of times. In June 2012, Google warned its Chinese users that there were sensitive words and phrases that might cause the Internet police to investigate them.

VOA wrote that, even though Google openly challenges Beijing’s authority, its business in China continues to grow:  “Google has hired more engineers and sales force personnel and has continued to provide business and online advertising services to Chinese companies.”

Source: Voice of America, November 9, 2012
http://www.voachinese.com/content/google-20121109/1543059.html