Dragonfly: Google is supposed to plan censored search engine for China

According to media reports, Google wants to return to the Chinese market and use censorship. There is no state approval yet.

Dragonfly: Google is supposed to plan censored search engine for China

The US internet company Google plans to report a censored version of its search engine to get back to world's largest internet market in China. This was reported by US portal The Intercept and New York Times, citing insider.

The plan is to have an app called Dragonfly ("Dragonfly"). She was supposed to sort out banned websites and search requests for human rights, democracy, religion or peaceful protests in China, two US media reported. Thus search matches strict censorship rules of communist leadership in Beijing.

Google did not want to confirm reports: "We do not comment on speculation," said a spokesman. The newspaper China Securities Journal, which is issued by State Securities Inspectorate, called speculation about a return of Googles to China "not right".

On or hand, Reuters news agency, citing Chinese authorities, reported that Google is in contact with Derchinesischen Cyberspace Authority. However, a permit for project lies Nichtvor. The talks were not going well at moment, New York Times quoted an insider.

Google employees announced reports due to project

A Google employee told Reuters that Google is actively working on project. He had seen corresponding presentations, Vielehochrangige managers would have been aware of this. He himself had left Sichversetzen to not have to participate. The New York Times reported to four employees that find had also been put or gekündigthätten.

The Dragonfly project started Google in spring of 2017. In December, group chairman Sundar Pichai met with a high Chinese official, writes Intercept, citing corporate documents and familiar with project.

The search engine for mobile operating system Android had already been demonstrated to Chinese government agencies. Within next six to nine months, Google could bring out app for Chinese users as soon as Beijing approves it, Intercept continued.

Amnesty: "Serious attack on freedom of information"

The reports triggered fierce protests. The human rights organisation Amnesty International spoke of a "serious attack on freedom of information". Amnesty researcher Patrick poon sees project as a signal that no one is bored to challenge censorship. poon is also concerned about privacy of users: Will Google also break down and personal data be put out, should Chinese authorities demand it?

If Dragonflyin launched China, it would be a turn in Google's dealings with censorship: company had withdrawn 2010 from big China market in order not to have to continue censoring. Google had also become victim of a serious hacker attack, origin of which had been suspected in China. The Chinese market for Internet search is dominated by shall group Baidu. According to Intercept report, its share had passed by 7.7 percent on Wednesday.

China's so-called large firewall not only blocks Google services such as Internet search, Gmail and YouTube email service. Social media such as Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp are also blocked, as well as news pages of New York Times, Wall Street Journal and politically controversial or China-critical websites.

Date Of Update: 04 August 2018, 12:00