Report: Google Using Chinese Site to Create Blacklist for Censored Search Engine

Google is reportedly using a Chinese site that it owns to create a blacklist for its censored search engine in China.

According to the Verge, “Google has been using search samples from a Beijing-based website it owns to make blacklists” for their censored search engine in the country, code-named Dragonfly.

“Google engineers are reportedly sampling those search queries in order to develop a list of thousands of blocked websites it should hide on its upcoming search engine in China,” they explained, adding that “Blacklisted results, which include topics like the Tiananmen Square massacre, will result in users seeing a blank page.”

The Intercept also reported that searches on the censored search engine for activist Dong Yaoqiong, who disappeared following a protest against Chinese President Xi Jinping, return no results.

Furthermore, Google employees who are involved in the project were ordered to “keep quiet about it.”

“We were told to avoid referencing it around our team members, and if they ask, to deflect questions,” claimed one anonymous source to the Intercept.

Last week, it was reported that Google is developing a censored search platform so it can re-enter the Chinese market. As reported by Breitbart News’ Lucas Nolan:

The Google project, codenamed Dragonfly, has been in development since Spring of 2017, and was accelerated in December 2017, following a meeting between Google CEO Sundar Pichai and top Chinese government officials. Google engineers have created custom apps named “Maotai” and “Longfei,” which have already been demonstrated for Chinese officials and could be launched within the next six to nine months.

Last year, Google announced the launch of an artificial intelligence research center in China.

Despite this, following employee protests, Google revealed in June that they would no longer work with the U.S. government.