Google launches censored Chinese site

One good way to make friends with the Chinese government is to help them censor the internet. That's what Google is doing. It is launching a Chinese search and news site that will censor material deemed objectionable to authorities there. From News.com:

"Google.cn will comply with local Chinese laws and regulations," he said in a statement. "In deciding how best to approach the Chinese--or any--market, we must balance our commitments to satisfy the interest of users, expand access to information, and respond to local conditions."

....The France-based human rights group Reporters Without Borders blasted Google, saying it was taking an immoral position that could not be justified.

"By offering a version without 'subversive' content, Google is making it easier for Chinese officials to filter the Internet themselves. A Web site not listed by search engines has little chance of being found by users," the group said in a statement. "The new Google version means that even if a human rights publication is not blocked by local firewalls, it has no chance of being read in China."