Google Joins Twitter In Censorship Storm: Site May Now Block Blog Posts In Line With Requests From Oppressive Regimes

• Blog posts will be blocked at national government request
• Campaigners fear ‘the end of the global internet community’
• But Google claims move will allow MORE free speech

 By Rob Waugh

 Last updated at 3:36 PM on 2nd February 2012

 Google’s informal motto is ‘don’t be evil’, but a huge change to its Blogger service could see the search giant help oppressive governments stamp out voices of protest. 

Bloggers who have relied on the popular service to organise dissent as seen during the Arab Spring could find their posts being blocked by Google itself.

The company will now block posts or blogs from being seen in a country if they their local laws, handing a victory to regimes that crack down on free speech to keep a lid on dissent. 

The move has caused widespread concern – and echoes Twitter’s recent decision to block Tweets on a similar ‘per country’ basis to comply with local laws. 

Internet freedom group Open Net Initiative said of Twitter’s recent policy change, ‘The change marks a new trend in American Internet companies bowing to the demands of authoritarian regimes.’ 

Amnesty International said, ‘As with other sectors, business decisions in the digital world have human rights implications. Human rights monitors and advocates have a lot more work to do since the digital revolution.’

‘Our collective vigilance is needed more than ever.’

Thailand heartily backed Twitter’s recent decision to block Tweets at the request of governments, as did China’s state-run newspaper.

But Google claims that the move will actually allow more freedom of speech.

The blogs will be visible from everywhere else in the world, but invisible in one country.

‘This will allow us to continue promoting free expression while providing greater flexibility in complying with valid removal requests in local law,’ said the company. 

Blogger, a blogging service which launched in 1999, and was bought by Google in 2003, has previously been banned outright in repressive regimes such as Syria, Iran and China.
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