Google's Red Dilemma

Following our class discussion and exercise about how Google is faced with a major branding problem, I began to think about what other problems Google is facing or will face in the future. In one hand they are a search company and in the other they are an applications provider. In my search to find what ails this giant, I remembered the dilemma they faced in China.

Let's face it Google is in the business to make money and China's population supports their vision. As China progresses into the 21st Century their society has a desire for better information. Herein lies the problem: China's government is censoring the data. Should Google have gone into China? This is where the debate begins. In fact one of Google's philosophies is "Democracy works on the Web." This does not seem to be appropriate in a communist country. However, it should be noted that Google has struck a deal that would allow them to disclose if the information being retrieved was altered or omitted. Ultimately, by working with the Chinese government Google has positioned themselves to be a sole source provider of search services with Government backing. In the future users can acknowledge their commitment and continue to advertise with a reputable service provider.

For further reading check out:
Security Dilemmas: China,Google, and Censorship
Google and My Red Flag

I especially like the Google and My Red Flag article as it seems to be the model many companies should follow when trying to negotiate dealings in China.