Google offers its users access to seemingly limitless information. China, which boasts the world’s largest Internet population, is notorious for its censorship laws. Though the pairing was a recipe for disaster from the get-go, it has managed to function since the corporation surfaced in the country in 2006 ‘- that is, until a single misstep sent any potential for further peaceful coexistence into the tailspin it had been bound for.

Reports last week that Google.cn received cyber attacks demanding information about human rights activists ‘- something the company had agreed to block to the public ‘- have sparked the American company’s Chinese offices to reconsider their stationing there. Having already consented to the country’s policies ‘- including banning other online information related to protests against its government ‘- Google’s decision to up and leave seems reasonable and well within its right. Its aims and China’s stand in stark contrast and China’s noncommittal stance toward protecting Google from harassment in spite of the company’s obedience is not worth the benefits of staying.

China, which already blocks its public from social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, is within its right, too, to extend its laws over Google. However, its ambivalence toward finding and persecuting those responsible for the attack on a compliant Google is reprehensible and something that transcends cultural or legislative differences between the United States and China. As the company’s spokesman said, simply, according to The United Kingdom’s Guardian, ‘Every nation should criminalize malicious activity on computer networks.’ China’s blind eye is an issue separate from politics.

Yes, it is possible that Google should have thought twice before launching this overseas operation. But it abided by each of the foreign regulations to which it agreed. Having to suffer through China’s informational repression when it does nothing to protect the company in times of strife is a scenario without any foreseeable benefits. In the case of Google and China, it is, unfortunately, more of the same, and while the marriage was a good one in the honeymoon stage, it has cited irreconcilable differences and moved on.

Google’s aim to extend its use to the people of China was admirable, but the costs of remaining in the country outweigh the benefits. Digging any deeper into the debate is a losing battle.
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