(Picture Source: http://www.chinasmack.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/china_without_google.png)
Public Relations professionals must understand far more than media relations in nowadays. They must understand ethics too because decisions at the higher levels of the organizational system almost invariably include an ethical component. This applies to the news about Google may withdraw from China as well.
I logged in my Twitter account yesterday expecting people share some interesting and relaxing news stories or blog posts, but found my Twittersphere full of “#googlecn.” Then I read “A new approach to China” on Google’s official blog and started getting some ideas:
“These attacks and the surveillance they have uncovered–combined with the attempts over the past year to further limit free speech on the web–have led us to conclude that we should review the feasibility of our business operations in China. We have decided we are no longer willing to continue censoring our results on Google.cn, and so over the next few weeks we will be discussing with the Chinese government the basis on which we could operate an unfiltered search engine within the law, if at all. We recognize that this may well mean having to shut down Google.cn, and potentially our offices in China.”
Google also said in the post that it has evidence to suggest that a primary goal of the attackers was accessing the Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists.
Under Google’s Code of Conduct, “Serve Our Users” section C is about privacy and freedom of Expression:
“Always remember that we are asking users to trust us with their personal information. Preserving that trust requires that each of us respect and protect the privacy of that information. Our security procedures strictly limit access to and use of users’ personal information. Know your responsibilities under these procedures, and access data only as authorized by them, our Privacy Policy and applicable local data protection laws.”
When Google couldn’t meet the code, it decided to withdraw from Chinese market. I think this move has its upside. Google will have some revenue loss for sure, but what’s more important than that is the fact that Google earned the support of both the White House, State Department and Chinese user’s trust.
A withdraw from China could be turned into a positive public relations move because of Google’s ethical decision.

