The world’s biggest “AI Company” is about to team up with the world’s most threatening “AI surveillance nation.”

The January edition of our magazine, “Google Restricts Freedom of Speech, Violates Antitrust Laws” writes that The Liberty Web’s articles surrounding the theory that “the coronavirus is China’s responsibility” were basically erased from the web.

Furthermore, various interviews revealed that Google was manipulating and censoring search results in a large-scale public opinion manipulation to favor the Democratic party in the U.S. presidential election.

Why Did Google Indulge in Pro-China Censorship?

The mystery at hand is why Google conducted censorship that not only took part in anti-Trump sentiments but in pro-Chinese bias as well.

Google was especially famous for opposing China’s censorship starting around 10 years ago by withdrawing from its market. Many have probably applauded Google for this decision. But why did such a company indulge in such an act…

Top U.S. Military Officials Describe Military Assistance as Problematic

Increasing people are viewing Google’s ties with China as problematic.

U.S. top officers, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford, and former Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, were critical in March 2019 stating that “the work that Google is doing in China is indirectly benefiting the Chinese military,” which surprised the public.

Furthermore, in July of the same year, PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel pointed out that Chinese spies infiltrated Google and were cooperating with the Chinese military. He pushed for the FBI and CIA to step in for an investigation.

What is happening between Google, a company that used to be a symbol of anti-totalitarianism, and China?

The Forbidden Market with a Billion People Seduce Google

Currently, Google is being tempted by the giant market that China has. You might recall that Google already chose to withdraw before. However, since then, the company has completely changed their stance.

Google started its Chinese search edition service in 2000. Although their shares grew, they were viewed by the Chinese government as a danger and thus were shut down.

In response, in 2006, Google set up its server in mainland China and allowed censorship from the nation. There were voices of opposition both inside and outside the company by the profit-centered decision, but many others held onto the positive belief that “liberation of the economy will encourage democracy.”

However, since the Beijing Olympics were held in 2008, the Chinese government moved in to strengthen its censorship. It blocked access to YouTube and even restricted topics ranging from “a lower official’s small hassle” to “information about a natural disaster.”

As frustrations from censorship built up in 2009, Google received a serious cyberattack. Gmail of Chinese human rights activists were illegally accessed, and information such as their acquaintances and schedules were stolen on a large scale. Its high level of attack suggests that the Chinese government was involved.

Google was used as a tool to repress democracy. This shocked Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Mr. Brin, born in the former Soviet Union, who immigrated to the U.S., knew the horror of a totalitarian nation first-hand. Although other executives, such as Larry Page and Eric Schmidt, strongly opposed him, Mr. Brin insisted that he could no longer take any part in censorships and withdrew from China the following year in 2010.

Accused of Covert Plan for Reentry

But this was not the end of the story. While the world praised Google’s decision, some executives were still dissatisfied for abandoning the Chinese market with its gigantic size and rapid growth. Within a year, they began work towards reentry.

Things especially turned around when the founders left the front line and Sundar Pichai took power as CEO. It is said that the company suddenly became profit inclined.

In August of 2018, U.S. investigative journalism site, The Intercept, reported Google’s secret plan, codenamed Dragonfly, to “launch a censored version of its search engine in China.”

They also released meeting transcripts which described Google’s search engine chief hyping for “the most interesting market in the world today,” China, with “the next billion users.” A billion people is approximately the population of both Europe and the U.S. combined. Google is succumbing to this appeal.

After a meeting that Mr. Pichai and high-ranking Chinese officials held in Dec. 2017, development accelerated. Demonstration to the Chinese government was almost finished, and the product almost completed as well.

Given that the relationship between Google and the Chinese government was so terrible that it was even difficult to schedule a negotiation after its withdrawal, it is inferred that Google had to desperately woo China.

Google “Crossed the Wall”?

Learning about this exposal, Google employees protested with strikes and resignations. Former Vice President Mike Pence also requested the project’s cancellation.

Mr. Pichai kept his ground, responding to the criticism by saying “it was important for us to explore… given how important the market is and how many users there are.” However, in a U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee meeting held in Dec. 2018, he attempted to cover up this incident, claiming that it was a mere exploration and that there were no realizable plans to start its search engine service in China at the time.

However, Google employees anonymously continued to prosecute, claiming that the Dragonfly project was still moving forward. The “obsession for the billion people market” continues to smolder the company, and China holds control.