Censorship on Google

Miscellaneous Topics
1

I just tried search for the words “capitalism definition” on Google, and saw this at the bottom of the page:

In response to a legal request submitted to Google, we have removed 2 result(s) from this page. If you wish, you may read more about the request at ChillingEffects.org.

When I followed the link, all I see is that an “Internet Watch Foundation” has submitted a “Child Pornography Complaint in Google Search.”

It seems that the “Internet Watch Foundation” submits a secret list of URL’s to Google which must be removed from search results. Google must do is - it may be held legally liable if it judges which URL’s are acceptable on an individual basis and makes a mistake. I tried doing some alternative searches and going through the results, and I was totally unable to find anything non-political in the searches, much less pornographic.

This seems morally dubious to me. Some organization is submitting a secret list of sites which is automatically removed by Google based on a secret criteria. If the website was truly illegal, then why not prosecute the webmaster and take it down? The fact that it was delisted and not taken down suggests that it is not illegal in its jurisdiction, yet judged not worthy for me to see. Furthermore, I have no way to verify whether I am being prevented from seeing legitimate political speech.

2

Wow!

David, I don’t have answers.

I’ve played some scenarios in my head of doom. I suppose with the idea of trying to be prepared for something.

So much information is moved via the internet. Banking, ideas, information. If that route of information was slowed or stopped, I know that I would struggle keeping up to date on my expectations of how quickly I want to know what happened where.

Additionally, doesn’t it seem like things are moving “slowly”. Really, they are moving at an incredible pace. Am I the only one that thinks that? I wonder how much food I might need to have on hand, how much fuel I might want to stock pile, ammunition, and whether I should have cash on hand or gold. Or what?

Is it irrational to believe that there are radical individuals that have control opportunities inside companies that run the search engines? I understand there are workshops for radicals that call in to conservative talk shows. I recognize some of that radical talk in internet posts on other forums too.

If one can control the information, then one has control. I understand in North Korea, the common people are told that the rest of the world has it worse than they do. So, they think they have it good.