Google in China Essay Example

and Google market share dropped from 25% in 2002 to 19.2% in 2006.

For that reason, google had to decide to make an additional version of Google for Chinese people known as Google.cn to increase their market share from 19.2% in 2002 to 22.8% in 2007. In 2007, Google.cn entered a partnership with online Chinese community ‘Tianya.com.’ Google.cn has been a success and is starting to gain market share in China. Even though Google had created Google.cn for Chinese users, Google.com still unfiltered and available worldwide.

What are the ethical issues involved? Why?

The ethical issue in this case is that China government violated the human right of their citizens by censorship the internet. In 2000, China government started a new system that’s called the Golden Shield Project to censoring information that is available to public. China required all the internet services provider to follow the censor policy, if they want to extend their technology there. Censorship in China returning no results for any illegal content searches for the Chinese users.

For example, the China government prohibit their citizens to search subjects like democracy and Tibet, Falun Gong and the Dalai Lama, and pornography from the internet. This is an unethical because the China government don't respect the values of their citizens. By doing censorship, Chinese cannot practice their Freedom of Speech. Every country has obligation to let their citizens to be free, but China is trying to restrict Chinese people.

Google created technology to help the China government in controlling their citizens. Google act an unethical by introducing the additional site known as Google.cn that supposed to be filter to the Chinese people. Google's motto is 'Don't be Evil,'

but it shows the China market motivated them more than their social obligation.

Where is Google mission on providing a free information to everyone worldwide toward the Chinese users? Google allowed the U.S. Google.com site to be accessible for Chinese people. Google.com is unfiltered search engine which could lead Chinese to imprison by the China government if they search any illegal content.

Google possible lose Chinese users trust if it continues to act unethical by not offering the right access of Google’s products such as Blogger and Gmail within Google.cn. Therefore, Chinese users didn’t have any alterative access other than Google.com for Google’s product which could lead Chinese's future at risk. Google breaks its own rule and commitment, but it still not provides their mission to Chinese users as worldwide.

Who are the stakeholders (primary and peripheral)?

The primary stakeholders in this case are Google’s employees and shareholders, China government and Chinese citizens. Google affected by censorship policy and started to lose more of its market share when they were against the policy. When google decide to move to china market, Google seems to be motivated by profit gain instead of its mission.

The company started to lose their reputation because Google.cn was not providing Google’s products for Chinese users. Google’s employees may be affected by google decision because it against their ethical principles. Also, Google’s shareholders could be influenced by Google decision because they want to gain profits but in the same time, they want to have a good company image.

China government is could be affected their own citizens by keeping Chinese people ignorant of the outside world. If google trying to offer the Chinese users an unfiltered search

engine, it could cause revolution between the China government and Chinese people. However, using google.cn allows the Chinese people to have censored information different than other users. By doing this site, Chinese users do not get the full freedom of the internet. All these primary stakeholders influenced each other.

The peripheral stakeholders in this case are Google’s competitors and worldwide users. Google competitors such as Yahoo!, Baidu.com, and Microsoft could be suffered financially by google decision. For example, Google biggest competitor in china is Baidu.com.

If Google decide to develop more censor technology as the china government wanted, it could put the Baidu business out of the market. People all around the world could influence by Google decision. There many people who rely on Google’s products and services. So for that reason people believe that google should offer all information to be accessible free and useful as google mission states.

What possible alternatives/solutions are available to the issues?

There are three alternatives solution could work in this case. The first possible alternative solution is by expand Google’s products such as Gmail and Blogger within googe.cn for Chinese users. By doing this, Google could increase their profits as well as market share. It still unethical practices because Chinese users cannot have a free access to all the information as other users.

Chinese people will not have the full of privacy by using Google.nc because it is censor site by their government. However, by expand Google’s products within Google.cn, Chinese users will be using them without any fear from the China government.

Another possible alternative solution is to offer Google services to the Chinese people without China government censorship of the internet. By

doing this, google will allow the Chinese to get their full freedom while using the internet and that’s make Google to have good reputation.

Chinese users will have the same fairness as for other Google’s users by being able to get access to the all information without any filter. China government was so strict when google did that in the past. For that reason, China government decrease Google service quality for their citizens because Google ignore their censorship.

Finally, another alternative solution is Google may leave the china market. By doing this, google will keep its own beliefs on “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful” (Wilson, 2007).

Also, google will reduce the criticize on the company when it’s not violated their own ethics. On the other side, google could make less profit and market share in china. Also, they could have less Google users which make their competitors stronger. All these three possible alternative solutions may work for everyone in this case.

What is the solution of your choice? Why?

I choose the first of my alternative solution which is Google must stay in China and expand their products and services such as Gmail and Blogger within Google.cn for Chinese users. I think it is the best solution for both parties. By doing this solution, Google will respect the China government policy and Chinese culture. Google should understand that each country has different polices and ethics if they want to expand their technology.

It is impossible for Google to force their policies on the entire world. Google still can do their mission in China if it with censorship standards. As I mention previous, Google will

not involve in violation the law of China government by expand Google products within Google.cn, Chinese users will not be using google.com for Gmail or Blogger to avoid getting themselves in trouble with their government.

On Google side, this solution will make Google to gain more profits and increase their market share. Also, Google may increase their users. Google will gain the Chinese users respect by offering other options to make them equal with worldwide user. Also, this solution will give the Chinese the opportunities to be employees in Google when the company improve the languages translation area.

If google want to be in china market and not letting their competitors to win, it should make sacrifices. By doing this, google will reduces negative company image because they will achieve their promise on providing an accessible and useful information to all. I found this solution will satisfy china government, Chinese users and Google.

How would you support your choice with the various theories that we learned in class?

The various theories that would support my choice are Utilitarian, Rawls’s Egalitarian, and Virtue. As our textbook states, utilitarian in Teleology theory 'seeks the greatest good (utility) for the greatest number of people.' From Utilitarian perspective, it is the best theory to support my solution because google can provide the greatest benefit that outweighs the greatest harm to Chinese users.

By doing censor the internet, Google will not harm Chinese people because their government has censorship policy that everyone must follow it. For that reason, Google was trying to offer their best options to help Chinese users to be equal as the worldwide users. I believe this would be a win-win for

both parties because Google will be in the china market to expand and to continue their mission. China policy will not be violated. This theory will ensure that both Google and china have equal benefits of their partnership.

The second theory that will support my solution is Rawls’s Egalitarian theory. As our textbook states, 'an unequal distribution is justified if everyone would be better off with the inequality that without. From Rawls's Egalitarian perspective, even if the Chinese people was not having the fairness as worldwide users, at least google will provide them search engine that has to follow with their government censorship policy better than nothing.

Another theory that support my solution is virtue theory. As the textbook mentions, “Excellence for a corporation consists of making the good life possible for everyone in society.” From the virtue perspective, even if Google act unethical when it assists the china government to censor their citizen, I believe Google is trying to provide a good option for the Chinese people as worldwide users. By doing this, Google will increase their market share and profit, and it will respect Chinese culture.