China lifts Google ban

Internet Business News, Sept 13, 2002

INTERNET BUSINESS NEWS-(C)1995-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

China has lifted the ban it imposed on Internet search engine Google less than two weeks after it was put in place.

The authorities have not given an explanation for the decision to lift the ban, which China regularly puts in place on sites that contain sensitive, political information or information which it feels could disturb the social stability of the country. The AltaVista search engine was blocked on 6 September for similar reasons.

The move to block the site was criticised by media freedom groups Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) and Internet users who claimed that they did not use the site for political reasons but for research.

China is currently promoting Internet use for business while keeping strict controls on access, preventing 'harmful' information from being seen by its citizens.

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