Internet giant Google has been attacked for considering censoring content for access to Chinese markets – but still refusing to remove child abuse content.
Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt pointed out the apparent hypocrisy of being willing to censor for one reason but not another.
Google claimed to be proud of being “values-driven”, said Mr Hunt.
Seems extraordinary that Google is considering censoring its content to get into China but won’t cooperate with UK, US and other 5 eyes countries in removing child abuse content. They used to be so proud of being values-driven…
— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) August 30, 2018
An open letter signed by 14 leading human rights charities, including Amnesty International, was sent to Google on Tuesday demanding the corporation drop its China plans.
The letter warned company boss Sundar Pichai the move would be “an alarming capitulation by Google on human rights” and could mean his company becoming “complicit in human rights violations”.
Google has not issued a public statement in response.
Meanwhile, tech giants including Google have snubbed an international summit to discuss removing content such as child abuse images and terrorist beheading videos.
The meeting was organised by the so-called Five Eyes nations – Britain, the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
Important meetings with UK’s closest security partners at Five Country Ministerial in Brisbane – Australia, Canada, New Zealand & USA. United approach crucial in combatting global threats including terrorism, child sexual exploitation, organised crime & hostile state activity pic.twitter.com/7r4ngSYOQ0
— Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) August 28, 2018
Home Secretary Sajid Javid had hoped to progress the issue on his visit to Australia this week.
He held meetings with Five Eyes counterparts on issues including how to tackle child abuse.