American companies like Google aren’t exactly popular in countries like China where they are pretty strict about the information coming in and going out of the country. We suppose their concerns were only amplified with the Snowden leaks which suggested that tech companies might have had a hand, knowingly or unknowingly, with the spying activities conducted by the NSA.
In fact recently the Chinese state media has called for the punishment of companies like Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Facebook, for allegedly taking part in the PRISM scandal which was pretty much the height and focus on the Snowden leaks. The report by the People’s Daily certainly did not mince words in their post.
According to them, “U.S. companies including Apple, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, etc. are all coordinating with the PRISM program to monitor China. To resist the naked Internet hegemony, we will draw up international regulations, and strengthen technology safeguards, but we will also severely punish the pawns of the villain. The priority is strengthening penalties and punishments, and for anyone who steals our information, even though they are far away, we shall punish them!”
In fact earlier this week, Google had its services disrupted in the country. According to a statement by Google’s Chief Legal officer, David Drummond, “We cannot say this more clearly – the (U.S.) government does not have access to Google servers – not directly, or via a back door, or a so-called drop box. We provide user data to governments only in accordance with the law.” It is unclear as to what sort of “punishment” the Chinese government is seeking, but what do you guys make of this?