US govt link can dent Google's image

• Source: Global Times
• [01:11 January 20 2010]
• Comments

It may be a coincidence that the controversy stirred by Google's threat to pull out of China took place just a week before the first year anniversary of the US administration under President Barack Obama.

On his first full day in office on January 20, 2009, Obama kept his Campaign Promise No. 240 by signing an executive order that toughened the rules for former lobbyists taking up government positions.

Yet that executive order has not shut the "revolving door" between big corporations and Washington – such as the one currently connecting Google and the government.

Given Washington's high-pitched support for Google in its dispute with China, the Internet giant's close ties to the Obama administration has caught public attention and aroused more suspicion.

As the fourth largest source of corporate contribution to Obama's campaign, Google has earned itself an unrivaled place in the administration's relations with the corporate world. Not only is Google CEO Eric Schmidt, one of the early Obama supporters, sitting on the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, but also three ex-Google executives were appointed to prize posts in the administration.

Google's case is just the tip of the iceberg. While "revolving door" is an open secret in the US, the price paid does not seem to be enough for Washington to have learned its lessons.

With more people passing through the "revolving door" to join "Government Google," "Government Energy Industry," or "Government Defense Industry," the creeping crony capitalism carries potential risks to the US society.

Doubtless, the government's "revolving door" could cripple Google's future in China. The world's top search engine, once hailed by many Chinese as a flagship of global innovation, is now on the brink of being made a political football played by the White House, and has aroused strong, hostile reactions from some Chinese users.

Should Google choose to stay, it would be well advised to abandon this politicized route, and take the normal road – of abiding by Chinese law and staying on the business track – that has led numerous foreign companies to success in China.

Only in that way can the technology pioneer regain lost ground and credibility in China.

A Google without China cannot be a truly global player. The price of the US government using Google for its politics can be very high for the No. 1 search engine. The sooner Google realizes this, the farther it will go in China.

After all, Google should not be Google for the US alone.