Posted on 03/31/2010 9:30:11 PM PDT by myknowledge
Google will close its Australian operations, effectively blacklisting the country in response to the Federal Government's "evil" plan to filter the internet.
ZDNet.com.au has confirmed that the search engine giant will close its doors on Australia for good, effective immediately, marking the end of four years of its operation here and a long-running battle with the government over its plan to filter the internet.
Known for changing its famous logo to commemorate special occasions, Google's Australian site this morning featured a somewhat blunt statement on how the company viewed its place in the local market (see screenshot).
"We've already left China. That was clearly not a bluff and besides I couldn't take the food anyway," said Google CEO Eric Schmidt. "Oh yeah, and our company motto is always... I mean never ... wait, it's 'Don't Be Evil'. So we just can't be part of it."
Schmidt did however concede that it would be harder to leave Australia than China.
"It's a shame because our Sydney office has really nice views of the harbour. And have you seen our kitchen? I suppose Fairfax will want it now. Well, what's left of it anyway."
When asked for comment, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy was silent for a moment before shouting, "They can't blacklist us ... we've already blacklisted them!"
Some Microsoft representatives were on hand outside Conroy's office to offer their thoughts on Google's departure — and to hand out the many "Bing" T-shirts they had brought along.
"Look, we believe in competition, and now that Google is leaving Australia we will be able to compete," a Microsoft spokesperson said.
While it's goodbye to Google for Aussies, the company will retain a local presence, according to Schmidt.
"We expect to continue operations in the region — just not in Australia", said Schmidt. "We'll probably move to another nearby country, like Tasmania or something."
I’m not sure if you are talking about what is really happening, or the joke, but...
there is no internet filter in Australia yet, and the one the government is proposing (which is unconstitutional and will be struck down even if introduced) will not cover bittorrent, peer to peer, or anything at all, except the web. So it wouldn’t even prevent most of the material it is supposedly intended to block anyway - most of the truly questionable material is not on the web.
Imbécile d’avril.
So, to Microsoft, no competition means they can “compete?”
They’d be ‘competing’ against the Australian government.
So, Kiwis are prohibited by Australia’s laws from not having sex with their sheep on public roads?
Heh.
Roads, adjacent fields, and hillsides.
You had me going there for about seven paragraphs.
Google left China?
Why does it seem like I remember hearing something about China toying with Google content in China just recently?
It seems like it was just last week. Did Googly finally grow a pair and leave in the last few days?
Funny the patience Google showed China, even censoring it’s own content, then cutting loose from Australia on the spur of the moment by comparison.
Am I mischaracterizing this?
Australia showed no patience toward Google. They were told to leave Oz, or else.
I was April Fooled.
And a lot of people are still taking it seriously. ;-)
The quotes about the food in China and the kitchen at the Sydney office were dead giveaways. LOL
LOL! My d-i-l is a Kiwi. Contrary to popular opinion, Kiwis are prohibited from doing just about everything, including working for a living, hence the, ahem, sign (pretty sure that’s not real;). They have become very much a socialist welfare state, which is why all their young people are leaving. Guess they’d rather have sex with people :)
Google has been filtering out a lot of conservative word hunts lately. It’s aggravating as heck.
Strange world, isn’t it?
[Straight face.]
Google didn’t decide to completely abandon China until March 22nd, 2010. They had been at odds with the Chinese government for a considerable period of time.
Now just nine days later, and they are pulling out of Australia. It sure seems like they had less patience with Australia than they had with China.
Thanks for the response. It seems you are saying Australia booted Google. Interesting... thanks for the mention.
Yes.
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