Google Releases Censorship Information

Published in Asahi Shimbun
(Japan) on 21 April 2010
by Tanaka Hikaru (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Huifang Yu. Edited by Alex Brewer.
U.S. Internet search giant Google announced the number of requests by each government and investigative organization for users' data and removal of content information on the 20th. The information was consolidated for half a year from last June to December, and it is said that the information will be released every half a year.

Google commented, "From this announcement, the data speaks for itself that governments' attempt to control Internet information is increasing by regulating the current status of censorship and users' data." With the increase of information transparency, Google is targeting unnecessary government intervention.

The attempt to control Internet information by governments is increasing, and based on Google’s announcement, governments are going to have to deal with this increased transparency. Google appears to be aiming for unnecessary government intervention.

This announcement was aimed at Google's operations in about 100 countries. Its affiliated business Youtube is also included.

The release of user information is at the core of this issue. The most requests that Google provided were from Brazil — 3663 cases — followed by the U.S. with 3580 cases, and then UK's 1166 cases. Japan has 44 cases.

It is said that the removal requests are made based on defamation and court orders. Two of the countries that made the most removal requests were Brazil (291 cases) and India (142 cases). While Holocaust denial is illegal, Germany's requests to remove websites that contained related content puts it in 2nd place with 188 cases. Japan has fewer than 10 cases.

Not all removal requests are accepted. In 2009, a Canadian politician asked for a blog to be removed, but his demand was rejected.

On the other hand, China was firm in its opposition to Google's transparency. When asked about this, they commented, "China cannot disclose its state secrets." Thus, on the Google world map, there can only be a question mark over China.


グーグル、利用者情報照会の国別件数公表 中国は「?」

 【ニューヨーク=田中光】米インターネット検索最大手のグーグルは20日、各国政府や捜査機関が、利用者の情報を求めたり、サイトを検索対象から除外するよう求めたりした国別の件数を初めて公表した。昨年6月から12月までの半年間のまとめで、今後も半年ごとに公表するという。

 グーグルは「インターネットの情報規制を試みる政府が増えている中、今回の公表で各国政府による検閲や利用者のデータ照会の実態を少しでも明らかにしたい」などとコメント。情報公開で透明性を増し、不要な政府介入を避ける狙いがあるとみられる。

 今回の公表は、グーグルが事業を展開している約100の国が対象。傘下の動画サイト「ユーチューブ」に関するものも含まれている。

 利用者情報の照会は、事件関係が中心だという。最多はグーグルが提供する情報交換サイトが盛んなブラジルの3663件。米国の3580件、英国の1166件と続いた。日本は44件だった。

 検索対象からの除外要請は名誉棄損と判断した裁判所からの命令などに基づいているという。情報交換サイト関連がともに多いブラジル(291件)とインド(142件)が1位と3位。戦時中のホロコーストの否定が違法とされ、関連する内容のサイトの除外を求めるドイツが188件で2位。日本は10件以下だった。

 除外要請をすべて受け入れているわけではなく、2009年にカナダの政治家が政策を批判するブログを除外するよう求めてきた際には、拒否したという。

 一方、検閲のあり方をめぐって対立した中国については「中国側が国家秘密扱いにしているため公表できない」とし、世界地図上に「?」マークをつけている。
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