USATODAY.com - Internet Thought Police

USATODAY.com - Internet Thought Police

Distressingly, Western companies, notably Yahoo, have cooperated with the authorities as a price of being allowed to do business in China. In doing so, they become partners of the totalitarian state. The specter arises that the Internet, usually assumed to be a catalyst for free speech and democracy, is becoming a tool for repression. If China is successful, other regimes no doubt would follow.

Interesting, USA Today see’s things the same and difeferent as we do. They see the impact that China is having on digital stakeholders and argue that they could be setting an example that others will follow. What they do not seem to get is the sheer size of the Chinese market and any American business person that would not pursue the market, even with the constraints the goverment is making, would be fired by their board of directors immediately for incompetence. The leaders of these organizations have a responsibilty to move the company forward in China. However, just becasue they work under the current rules doesn’t mean they can not work from within the system to try to change the repressive cultures of these countries. Achieving that would go well beyond profit or loss.

28 September, 2005 |

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