Google reported to launch censored search engine in China, marking shift in strategy
The US internet giant’s modified search app will blacklist sites on human rights, democracy, religion and other issues deemed sensitive by the Chinese government
Google plans to launch a censored version of its search engine in China, marking a major shift in strategy for the US internet giant nearly a decade after it exited the world’s second largest economy over Beijing’s strict censorship rules, according to a report by The Intercept.
The final version of Google’s modified search app, which will blacklist sites on human rights, democracy, religion and other issues deemed sensitive by the Chinese government, has already been shown to authorities and is now pending approval, according to the online news publication, which cited people familiar with the matter and internal Google documents.
Code-named “Dragonfly”, Google’s Chinese search engine project has been underway for more than a year and could be introduced in the market within the next six to eight months, the report said.
It said different versions of Android apps have been created for the search engine in China, which have been named “Maotai” and “Longfei”.
The Chinese Google search app will automatically identify and filter websites blocked by the country’s Great Firewall, preventing them from showing up in the results. Users will be notified that results have been removed to comply with “statutory requirements”.
