Google to Leave China?

“BEIJING — Google said Tuesday that it would stop cooperating with Chinese Internet censorship and consider shutting down its operations in the country altogether, citing assaults from hackers on its computer systems and China’s attempts to “limit free speech on the Web.”…  Google linked its decision to sophisticated cyberattacks on its computer systems that it suspected originated in China and that were aimed, at least in part, at the Gmail user accounts of Chinese human rights activists….“  — The New York Times, January 12, 2010

Meanwhile, with visions of China’s 60th birthday party still haunting us…

… we’re still wondering: Whatever happened to the Censorship in China story, written by award-winner Ha Jin? His feature story was scheduled to be published in National Geographic right before the Beijing Olympic games, but instead the piece was mysteriously killed by Editor-in-Chief Chris Johns.

Ha Jin

In other Society news: Now on exhibit at the National Geographic Museum, direct from China:

National Geographic Press Release
WASHINGTON (Nov. 17, 2009)—”Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor,” featuring the largest number of terra cotta figures ever to travel to the United States for a single exhibition, will open on Nov. 19, 2009, at the National Geographic Museum. The museum is the final venue of the exhibition’s four-city U.S. tour….

Talk amongst yourselves.

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Photo credits
≡  Officers and soldiers on parade, by David Gray/Reuters via The New York Times
≡ Ha Jin, via Boston University’s Creative Writing Program

Tagged as: China, Chris Johns, Google, Ha Jin, human rights