Comments on: Google Checkout Released & What It Means http://mattinglot.com/blog/2006/06/30/google-checkout-released-what-it-means/ Thoughts and Stories of an Entrepreneur on the Web Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:59:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Matt Inglot http://mattinglot.com/blog/2006/06/30/google-checkout-released-what-it-means/#comment-1608 Sat, 08 Jul 2006 21:19:22 +0000 http://mattinglot.com/blog/2006/06/30/google-checkout-released-what-it-means/#comment-1608 Hey Asher, Sorry for not responding earlier, you caught me right on the way out for a long weekend of not working. I don't really know too much about Google and China other than the fact that Google had made some major compromises to be able to reach a massive market. Specifically the Chinese version of Google censors the content in order to obey government laws there. This is unfortunate but a problem with the Chinese government far more so than Google. While it does put a heavy focus on ethics, Google is ultimately a corporation and not a charity, and with this structure it is practically obligated to make the moves it has made in China. Had it not done so would mean that competitiors like MSN would get the massive Chinese market, providing tremendous leverage against Google. Should Google have chosen to not cater to China until censorship of the internet there disappeared, Google would have a long and hard battle to gain users in a MSN and Yahoo dominated country (I believe Yahoo censors too, and I know MSN does). It really comes down to game theory. They definitely made the right choice in the interests of their continued survival and growth. Hey Asher,

Sorry for not responding earlier, you caught me right on the way out for a long weekend of not working.

I don’t really know too much about Google and China other than the fact that Google had made some major compromises to be able to reach a massive market. Specifically the Chinese version of Google censors the content in order to obey government laws there.

This is unfortunate but a problem with the Chinese government far more so than Google. While it does put a heavy focus on ethics, Google is ultimately a corporation and not a charity, and with this structure it is practically obligated to make the moves it has made in China. Had it not done so would mean that competitiors like MSN would get the massive Chinese market, providing tremendous leverage against Google.

Should Google have chosen to not cater to China until censorship of the internet there disappeared, Google would have a long and hard battle to gain users in a MSN and Yahoo dominated country (I believe Yahoo censors too, and I know MSN does).

It really comes down to game theory. They definitely made the right choice in the interests of their continued survival and growth.

]]> by: Asher http://mattinglot.com/blog/2006/06/30/google-checkout-released-what-it-means/#comment-1446 Fri, 30 Jun 2006 12:34:20 +0000 http://mattinglot.com/blog/2006/06/30/google-checkout-released-what-it-means/#comment-1446 Matt, It'd be interested to hear what you have to say about Google and China? I referenced it in my blog, but I'd be interested in the viewpoint of someone who's willing to do a bit more research (read: NOT me). Matt, It’d be interested to hear what you have to say about Google and China? I referenced it in my blog, but I’d be interested in the viewpoint of someone who’s willing to do a bit more research (read: NOT me).

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