Google's Chinese Clients Demand Compensation
Google's partners in China have written and signed a letter demanding Google make their plans clear.
In a letter posted on the website of a Chinese state-run television station, 27 Google-authorized sales reps have said they are waiting "in incomparable pain and disquiet" for Google to make a decision about its position in China.
As well as demanding compensation for investors, employees and clients, the letter details the confusion brought about by the lack of answers from Google.
"We see a constant stream of information but cannot predict the future, we see business sliding, but there is nothing we can do," the BBC cites the letter as saying.
A Google spokesperson told the BBC that the company is currently reviewing the letter.
[UPDATE] It appears the letter in question may have been fraudulent. The New York Times cites Gao Min, who is in charge of Google ad sales at Beijing Zoom Interactive Media, as saying the letter is "likely fake." Min went on to say, "I have checked with the head of the company and other relevant officials and found out we haven’t sent or signed any such letter." NYT reports that Bloomberg News was able to contact 22 of the 27 companies who supposedly signed the letter and none have confirmed its authenticity.
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Jane McEntegart is a writer, editor, and marketing communications professional with 17 years of experience in the technology industry. She has written about a wide range of technology topics, including smartphones, tablets, and game consoles. Her articles have been published in Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, MobileSyrup, and Edge Up.
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polly the parrot Microsoft, Yahoo, and Ask maybe, need to stand by Google and block off searching from China, then maybe the Chinese government will get the fact that they can't be over-controlling jerks anymore.Reply -
drutort thats classic... seal there code then ask for compensation too! wow brilliant, whats next?Reply
i also agree that other search giants should join google... and they should all block and censor China! how about some of there own medicine? Let China have there closed internet with no access to the rest of the world.. lets see how far that goes for them... Oh wait whats that? you dont want the rest of the world to censor you? yet you do it your people? hmm why not? dont like it? now you know how your people feel huh... -
davendork After reading that letter, I would be in "in incomparable pain and disquiet". My disquiet would be from laughing at the letter. Specifically I would be worried about the part where they admit they can't predict the future. If they had the full Interwebs in China, they could predict the future like I can. The Final Four will beReply -
JohnnyLucky I wish the article was longer and contained more detailed information about the Chinese clients, employees, and investors.Reply -
bustapr Google should just pay what they owe to their investors and employees, and leave. The chinese people should all march on the government until they make china a democratic nation. If a certain incident occurs again, then the world will rape the chinese gov. Google be very affected by leaving china compared to what they win worldwide.Reply -
rubix_1011 I would also think that Google would counter with some data that due to the Chinese government breaking in and illegally obtaining/obstructing data, all other negotiations are null and void.Reply -
Ahaha, since when?Reply
I have a suggestion for them: Why don't they demand to be compensated by the Chinese government for their brilliant vision of internet freedom?... -
restatement3dofted "Incomparable pain and disquiet"? They certainly have dramatic exaggeration down to a science, don't they?Reply -
back_by_demand Google send a letter back to the Chinese Government stating the following answer to their request for compensation.Reply
"No. Make me."
Letter ends.