“Don’t Be Evil” Protest at Google Canada’s Head Office
[Toronto] – Students for a Free Tibet Canada and the Canada Tibet Committee are outraged at google’s decision to join hands with the Chinese Government in assisting censorship efforts in China. Google has launched a custom-built web search engine that blocks users in China from accessing information about Tibet, human rights, and other topics sensitive to Chinese authorities.
“Students and young people across Canada and worldwide are appalled by Google’s decision to become an active partner in China’s censorship
apparatus,” said Kate Woznow, National Coordinator of Students for a Free Tibet Canada. “Google’s participation in the Chinese government’s program of repression and information control renders the company motto “Don’t be evil” a terrible joke.”
“Political and corporate leaders keep telling us that foreign business will contribute to a more open and democratic China,” said Tsering Khangsar, President of the Canada Tibet Committee, Toronto Branch. “This is yet another sign that China is in fact forcing foreign businesses to be more closed and anti-democratic.”
Google rivals Yahoo! and Microsoft have already shown a willingness to cooperate with Chinese authorities. Last year, Yahoo! provided information that helped jail a Chinese dissident for ten years and last month, Microsoft shut down a Chinese political blogger’s site for “not
complying with local law.”
Tibetans and their supporters will hold a demonstration at 5:00 pm today at Google Canada’s National Sales Office at the TD Canada Trust Tower, 161 Bay Street (Main entrance). A similar demonstration was heldyesterday at Google’s Headquarters in Mountain View, CA.
