New site redirects to a Hong Kong-based search page
After Beijing warned it could lose its license, Google has found a new way to skirt China’s internet censorship laws. Now, Chinese users will be redirected to a “landing page,” and clicking anywhere on it will redirect the users to an unfiltered search page based in Hong Kong. (Previously, Google automatically redirected users to the search page without the middle step.) The tech giant announced the change just a day before its Chinese Internet Content Provider license was going to expire. “This new approach is consistent with our commitment not to self censor and, we believe, with local law. We are therefore hopeful that our license will be renewed,” said David Drummond, a Google representative, to the BBC. Tension between Google and Chinese authorities escalated last January after a Google sustained a cyber attack suspected to originate from China.