The Story of Google from Shame back to Courage

“Courage takes many forms. There is physical courage, there is moral courage….” So said the American sport Journalist Howard Cosell. He went on to add yet still higher types of courage. Around seven months ago my favorite Internet Company lacked even the basic courage to take a stand. Google, my absolute favorite gave in to Chinese censorship early this year. Annoyed like its millions of fans across the globe I wrote a column titled “Goodbye Freedom – Shame on you Google”. This week has been rather wonderful. The old Google is back. The courageous Google, the entrepreneur’s dream Google has taken a stand and showed the best any new media company should.

A Heinous Crime

The federal prosecutor’s office in Sao Paulo alleges that several community pages on Orkut, have been used to organize criminal activity and promote child pornography. The prosecutors want a federal judge to order Google to hand over user information on those Orkut pages that are being investigated for promoting crimes

The Google Stand

The Punishment

The prosecutors want Google to pay a $US61 million fine and asked that if it refuses to comply with its information request, its Brazilian unit be dissolved.

Crime and Punishment – Understanding the Cyber laws

A crime is a crime and serious crimes like the ones Brazilian authorities have charged Orkut deserve to be dealt with severely. No differences with the authorities on that all. The problem is invasion of privacy and lack of understanding of cyber economy. It isn’t just Brazil that is facing this problem. India had its share of it as well last year when the eBay India chief Avneesh Bajaj was arrested because somebody allegedly sold a pornographic clip on his site ebay.in. Did the CEO need to be arrested for that? By the same definition should the Municipal Commissioner be arrested because some hawker somewhere in the city is selling something illegal? Or by the same definition should the President of India be arrested because he is the head of the state in which someone somewhere is committing some crime.

Cybercrime like any other crime is a serious crime. But when it comes to fixing the responsibility authorities falter.

In Orkut’s case Google clearly says it is ready to remove “undue content” and also assist in investigation why then such a harsh punishment? For some wrong activity being done by a few why should the privacy of the entire community of 25 million users be breached who have committed no fault and moreover why such harshness like dissolution of its Brazilian unit.

The Last Word – Kudos Google

Seven months ago I had ended by saying “Google, the only bastion of free speech. Google, the thought leader. Google, the innovators God. Is this the way you “recognize the debt we owe to all those in academia whose work has made Google itself a reality”. Those are your own words Google. A Google not in China would have been China’s loss not Google’s loss. Probably the bosses at Google bunked the strategy class to watch the Dragon’s Feet.” Didn’t expect Google to sell freedom so cheap. Shame on you Google!

This week Google deserves kudos for not succumbing to pressure. It sure takes guts to take a stand such as the one it has taken when its 72% users are from that country. Kudos Google. Courage certainly returns to Google!

Puneet Mehrotra is a columnist on technology and business in HindustanTimes.com and edits www.thebusinessedition.com you can email him on puneet@cyberzest.com