Google.cn is No More : RIP Google.cn (2005-2010)

Search Giant Google’s Chinese version Google.cn is no more. Google shut down Google.cn. Google is now redirecting google.cn to google.com.hk which is hosted in Hong Kong. Google.cn was started in 2005.

After a hacking attack on (Google) Gmail accounts of dozens of human rights activists in January 2010, Google stopped censoring their search services—Google Search, Google News, and Google Images—on Google.cn .

In a blogpost Google said, “We  made clear that these attacks and the surveillance they uncovered—combined with attempts over the last year to further limit free speech on the web in China including the persistent blocking of websites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google Docs and Blogger—had led us to conclude that we could no longer continue censoring our results on Google.cn”.

And as a result Google might be out from China Internet Market. Google looses business in China. Users visiting Google.cn are now being redirected to Google.com.hk, where Google is offering uncensored search in simplified Chinese, specifically designed for users in mainland China and delivered via their servers in Hong Kong. Users in Hong Kong will continue to receive their existing uncensored, traditional Chinese service, also from Google.com.hk.

Further Google said,”We believe this new approach of providing uncensored search in simplified Chinese from Google.com.hk is a sensible solution to the challenges we've faced—it's entirely legal and will meaningfully increase access to information for people in China. We very much hope that the Chinese government respects our decision, though we are well aware that it could at any time block access to our services”.

RIP Google.cn

Image Credit: labnol.org