Internet censorship is an increasingly hot topic for U.S. legislators, a group of whom announced the launch of a Global Internet Freedom Caucus on Wednesday to highlight the issue and develop legislation. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is weighing two bills that could expand efforts to combat censorship by the U.S. government.
But Google’s experience in China over the past two months has led some to question whether legislators’ involvement helps or hurts the government’s cause, even as Google urges legislators to become more involved in such efforts.
Sentiment among Chinese Internet users is far from being unanimously in support of Google’s decision to defy the wishes of Chinese censors. Some prominent commentators have outspokenly praised Google as a champion for free expression, but most Internet watchers say Chinese-language discussion on the topic is now laced with skepticism because of blurred boundaries between the Internet giant and the U.S. government.
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