Google’s been in a tussle with China for some time now over the decision to censor content in their search results. On a Google blog post dated January 12, the company states that Google launched their China site, “in the belief that the benefits of increased access to information for people in China and a more open Internet outweighed our discomfort in agreeing to censor some results.”
In December, Google discovered a cyber attack against their site and about 20 others. The Google attack involved the Gmail accounts of human rights activists in China. As a result, Google is now “discussing with the Chinese government the basis on which we could operate an unfiltered search engine within the law, if at all.” In other words, they are willing to entertain the possibility of shutting down Google.cn and their offices there if the government doesn’t play nice.
This is Google’s attempt at ethical business practices (after all, their policy is “Don’t Be Evil”). This has made me think about ethics in travel and whether by traveling to (and ultimately supporting) countries with very bad leaders, this ultimately hurts or helps the people.
Let’s take Burma as an example.
On the one hand, there’s the belief that by traveling to a country like Burma, you are exposing the local people to a world beyond their limited access. It provides them with information and some hope that they can one day have a better life. Perhaps you hire a guide for a day. He might make $5 that he wouldn’t normally be able to earn. He can now buy food for his family. All good.
On the other hand, many tour operators and popular sites are run by the government including the temples and palaces. This makes it nearly impossible to avoid putting money in the pockets of Burma’s repressive regime. Little, if any, of that money directly helps the people who need it most. Instead, it’s used to further the cause of the government and make the politicians richer. All bad.
At one point, political activist, Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest in Burma for 14 of the last 20 years, requested that travelers not visit Burma. She recently reversed her decision on that – proving that this is a conundrum even for those closest to the situation.
Let’s get back to Google.
They’re a huge company. But China’s bigger. Even if they were to pull out of China (and I personally hope that they do), will it actually help the great people of this country? Probably not. But it is a symbolic, if not a truly helpful gesture to China that they can’t get away with this S*^&. Neither the suppression nor any involvement (if indeed they were involved) in hacking sites for the purpose of tracking down those opposed to their government.
I haven’t been to China and have no immediate plans to visit. I’m sickened by the treatment of the Tibetan people and while I’m eager as anything to get to Tibet, I can’t bring myself to do it. I think I’d be too sad. Right or wrong thinking, I don’t know. I do know that for now, I’m content visiting countries where the human rights records are a bit stronger. No country is perfect, but with China I have strong enough feelings about it that it’s kept the country low on my priority list.
And you?
Travel Well!
Beth
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Photo Credit: China Protest – tibchris
Tim L. says
I’ve run stories about Cuba, Tibet, and Burma on Perceptive Travel, but hopefully most read them as armchair travel tales. I personally think it’s a shame people spend their tourism money in those places and continue to prop up the oppressive regimes. The old argument that tourism brings about change is complete b.s. Uprisings and revolutions bring about change, but not a Burmese taxi driver making $5 more from a tourist or hearing how wonderful it is to have freedom of speech.
The more tourists that pour into Tibet, the worse things get for the Tibetans. Let’s hope that Google has the balls to really follow through on this instead of caving like every other corporation that throws ethics aside so they can be part of the gold rush. (I’ll buy an Android phone for sure when that happens.)
Beth says
I agree with you on the point about Tibet. The Chinese recently announced that they are building the highest airport in the world for easier access to Tibet. Argh. As if the railway hasn’t done enough damage!
jessiev says
the best thing that people can do is to do research and make informed choices – you’re right!
Jennifer says
I fully support Google’s stance. it isn’t so much that they’ve been forced to censor their own search results – which, to a freedom-of-information person like myself is already borderline outrageous – but that it seems clear that the government was behind the email hacking of Chinese dissidents. This is a country where people have been disappeared before. If I was Sergey Brin or Larry Page, I know I wouldn’t want that weight on my shoulders. The truly sad thing here is that people using search engines in Google won’t know what they don’t know, for example, Tienanmen Square info is totally censored already there.
Travel is a stickier issue for me, and I go back and forth.
Angela Nickerson says
I had an opportunity to teach in China a few years ago which I declined for some of the very reasons you cite here. I am anxious to see the Great Wall and to experience all that China has to offer, but as someone dedicated to free speech and civil rights, I abhor their politics. I hope Google does pull out. As a company that vows to do no evil, I think it is the right call.
Mark H says
It will be interesting to see how this pans out and how strong the US government will stand behind Google if it comes to that. Complements to the leaders of Google for taking such a principled stand but I think this story is barely started.
Beth says
And remember – Google hasn’t DONE anything yet (as far as we know). It’s all talk. So, it will be interesting to see what comes of their conversations with China.
Vera Marie Badertscher says
As far as Google is concerned, I agree, we need to wait and watch–so far its lawyers talking and diplomatic language. But as far as travel goes, it is a very individual decision and I won’t try to change the mind of anyone who has decided. I could not go to Tibet or Burma, as much as I would love to. But poltical situations do change. I never thought that I would be able to go to Cambodia–and now I have.
Vera Marie Badertscher says
The perma link for the site pops up a “comment #__” after someone comments. My comment above was 5000. Do I get a prize??
Caitlin @ Roaming Tales says
The Tibetan ethnic region is much bigger than the Tibet autonomous region, so you can still see “Tibet” in other Chinese provinces but without such heavy-handed oppression and unsustainable tourism development. You’ll also be much freer to move around. I’m not advocating this, but it’s an option many people are not aware of.
Richard Callaby says
If Google did pull out of China because of its lack of human rights and really made a stand it would make them more credible in my eyes. Also, it could set a great start to many more companies following suit which make China wake up a bit. I do not like the way China performs International Business by keeping their currency articifically low so that they can continue to grow at an unnatural pace.
I really think Google should pull out of China because they do not place nice and if more compnaies followed suit then America could get some of our jobs back and we could be on the road to recovery.
Barbara Weibel says
Hi Beth:
I have really struggled with this issue – about a year ago I even wrote a post saying I wouldn’t visit China until the Tibet issue was resolved. Since then, my opinion has come 180 degrees. I now believe we do more good by visiting countries with oppressive regimes. I think my opinion shifted the last time there were severe problems in Burma. But for the release of videos that chronicled the event, we still might not know that these event were happening. I truly believe that the release of these visuals to the world brings pressure to bear on the powers that be. I also believe that we can be a voice of hope in a desperate situation – letting people know that we care and they are not forgotten. And so, I find myself making plans to travel to China this fall for the World Expo. My opinion may be different afterward, though. We shall see.
Meg Noble Peterson says
I’m with you all the way on this, Beth, especially where China is concerned. As for Myanmar/Burma, I was able to do exactly what you said…I hired people as guides, got to talk with quite a few who were against the govt (in fact, I can’t think of one who wasn’t!), and stayed at small places off the beaten track. Not in big govt hotels and restaurants. We ate in holes in the wall for pennies, but it was their pennies and not the government’s. Talked to peope of all ages and as you said, they were heartened by having a link to the outside world. That’s very important.
There are a lot of other experiences I still don’t want to tell in print, for the watchdogs are everywhere on the net. Suffice it to say that I want to go back there and will soon. There are some amazing stories about courageous work being done despite the repressive government, but it’s always a gamble. These people are amazing. Meg
Mara says
I have a niece who is currently studying in Shanghai for the semester and I’m pretty sure her experience is going to be life-changing in ways that are beneficial for her. But I’m not sure if my child wanted to do the same if I would be willing to pay for it.
On the other hand, I’m about to take a trip to the Caribbean that I feel ambivalent about because I know that mostly what’s on offer from resorts there for local communities are low-paying service jobs. I think that traveling (or choosing not to travel) with one’s eyes open is a serious responsibility.
Like everyone, I’ll also be watching to see what Google does. Thanks for the thoughtful essay Beth!
Lisa says
I too will be watching to see what Google chooses to do on the China issue. I do believe we have to consider the government of the countries we visit but at the same time I believe we make a positive difference for the people of the country by visiting, learning about their culture, buying their handcrafts and visiting off the beaten path places. I visited China in 2000 and I feel my life was enriched by the experience and the opportunity to learn from our guide and experience a tiny bit of her culture. I do not like the human rights record China has or it’s motives and actions on many, many fronts, but I do believe in a small way we support and encourage the people of a country, empowering them by our visits.
Fida says
I am going back and forth on this one. 10 years ago I was invited to travel to Burma but declined because of Aung San Suu Kyi’s statement.
I didn’t visit Tibet for the same reason as you. I had the same reservations for Turkey (not respecting human rights toward the Kurds), but then I did because I have friends there – and I am glad I did. I spent quite some time in the Kurdish part of the country and often people would tell me that they were glad to see tourists because that would give them hope and income they didn’t have otherwise. Of course, not much has changed for them over the past 20 years – I strongly believe change has to come from within – so I am not sure if we are of any help.
Michael McColl says
For those seeking to visit countries that do protect
human rights and the environment, please take a look
at Ethical Traveler’s annual report on “The World’s
Best Ethical Destinations:”
http://www.ethicaltraveler.org/destinations
Nik says
A very thoughtful article here Beth, and one that I’m personally torn about. You see, on one hand I do want Google to bail out of China and stick it to them. However, I just don’t foresee anything good coming out of that move. Currently, China is acting like a big bully, but the question begs — so what if Google pulls out of China? The statistics are staggering, I read somewhere that there are more internet users in China than the whole population of US.
On one hand, I would love to see China opens up and do the right thing with Tibet and their people, but I just don’t see that happening any time soon. And Google pulling out of China won’t do any good to that won’t it? It would simply strengthen the line between East and West, instead of joining us together as one global world.
And just a thought as well, to the first commenter who mentioned that “Uprisings and revolutions bring about change, but not a Burmese taxi driver making $5 more from a tourist or hearing how wonderful it is to have freedom of speech.”
How true! But how does uprisings and revolutions starts? From the inside. That $5 from a tourist and hearing about how wonderful it is to have freedom of speech is what stokes the fire in the hearts of locals to bring about change.
Just my 2 cents. No offense meant yes? Peace all.
-Nik
Lanora says
A friend was finishing up a year of teaching in China when the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 delayed his return to the States. My friend is now long-deceased, but I can’t forget his eyewitness accounts. It truly is a conundrum: as much as I would love to see these countries and experience their cultures firsthand, I don’t want to support oppressive regimes.
Beth Whitman says
@Jennifer – not that I have the answer to this, but just how far apart should business and travel decisions be? Don’t they all ultimately influence the people (as opposed to the government) we are hoping to help?
@Fida – thanks for sharing your story about how actually traveling to a region you were personally torn about ended up being a positive experience all around.