The Chinese search space was void of the world's favourite engine for over an hour last night as authorities lashed out at Google when it failed to scale back its operations in the region. Gmail also experienced a temporary closure in a move that many are claiming is a warning against the Californian search agency to reduce its operations and adhere to China's strict web regulatory laws.
Last week, the Chinese government told Google China to stop searching international websites when providing its results as links to some websites containing pornographic material were appearing. The government had already begun blocking certain Chinese language websites leading to similar content and the prevention of Google.cn to search internationally was punishment for the offense.
However, despite Google China's attempt to adhere to the order by removing buttons asking users whether they wanted to search domestic or foreign sites, searches still turned up links to international URLs. Chinese news authority Xinhua spotted the error yesterday and decried the search agency and, hours later, the engine disappeared from Chinese computers.
According to The Guardian, China Digital Times founder Xiao Qiang said: "This is definitely a warning to Google, as well as other foreign companies.
"It is also a strong warning to Chinese netizens. The government is showing its determination to keep the internet under control."
Google is no stranger to falling foul of China's strict internet regulations. It was regularly blocked in Beijing until 2005, when it built a Chinese subsidiary of its services in order to run as a self-censored site within the country.
