YouTube.com, a video website owned by Google, has formally launched its Simplified Chinese interface, marking the key step for Google's indirect entry into China's video sector.
As a foreign company, Google cannot directly launch video websites for the China market because of the limitations imposed by the laws of China, but the company does not want to give up the rapidly growing market. Therefore, YouTube has become a channel for Google's indirect participation.
In the new version of YouTube, the options of languages and countries are separated. Languages become the tools for reading the pages while the country options are for users to find local videos they are interested in. At present, YouTube Worldwide provides 20 regional channels, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Spain, France, Britain, Hong Kong, Ireland, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Russia and Taiwan, in 15 major languages, including Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean and English.
Youtube was purchased by Google in November 2006.
Also just as significant as the launch of their simplified Chinese version was the speed with which they pulled the sneak peek of the Olympic opening ceremony filmed by a Korean TV crew when (I suppose) the Chinese authorities asked to take it down. Google, don't be evil (or cooperate with it either)!
It's understandable if you oppose Google censoring its search results on its Chinese website, but objecting to taking down leaked videos is like cheering the lunatic in Shanghai who killed 7 police officers.
Excuse me, I'm being excessive. From the news reports, the videos were completely innocuous and were simply leaking the opening ceremony. What if someone in China posted child pornography onto Youtube? Would Google be evil if it cooperated with the authorities in tracking down the pornographer?
What law did they break?
And yes, being excessive doesn't help your argument.