The Intercept: Google plans censored search in China; Baidu -7.6%
Aug. 01, 2018 7:45 AM ETAlphabet Inc. (GOOG)GOOG, BIDU, GOOGLBy: Brandy Betz, SA News Editor147 Comments
- Google (GOOG, GOOGL) reportedly plans to launch a censored version of its search engine in China.
- The company had exited the market in 2010 due to the government’s attempts to “limit free speech on the web.”
- The Intercept has internal documents from a whistleblower that show Google has developed the censored version, codenamed Dragonfly, since early last year.
- Dragonfly is still an Android app but will “blacklist sensitive queries” and block websites not permitted by China’s censors.
- In a statement to The Verge, a Google spokesperson says the company doesn’t comment on speculated future plans.
- Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) shares trade down 7.6% following the news, erasing gains from the aftermarket earnings report.
- Previously: Baidu +3.6% after Q2 tops high-end estimates (July 31)