As it is now, only people who read about it or live there and try to find the song will ever even know about the block. If Google refused and was kicked out of Hong Kong, just about every single citizen would notice and the government would have to explain precisely why they decided to ban all Google services over a song about freedom. I don't think the people in charge would last long if that happened, considering how integral Google's services are to many people's lives.

[–] 520@kbin.social 10 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

and the government would have to explain precisely why they decided to ban all Google services over a song about freedom.

They wouldn't explain shit. This is an authoritarian government we're talking about; they have near total control of what information gets to their populace.

More likely they'd just accuse Google of supporting terrorism, and make a show of raiding their offices and jailing their local executives.

I don’t think the people in charge would last long if that happened, considering how integral Google’s services are to many people’s lives.

This is China we're talking about. Chinese equivalents to nearly every big tech service are more than present and accounted for, even often preferred by the local populace. Hong Kong is a little different, but the CCP still exerts near total control there.

[–] jlh@lemmy.jlh.name 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

It would accelerate the ongoing brain drain in Hong Kong at least, and encourage the stragglers to finally leave for more democratic countries. Banning Google in Hong Kong would be a shitshow for the CCP, but Google doesn't have any sort of spine or ethics.

[–] AeroLemming@lemm.ee 2 points 2 months ago

Oh ok :(

[–] Norgur@kbin.social 1 points 2 months ago

Or Trump up some wild charges about tax fraud or something

[–] thingsiplay@beehaw.org 4 points 2 months ago

This would probably make the entire world talk about it and it would be worse in China, because this would only anger people and fighting against the country. We won't see that, because Google wouldn't dare. The money is more precious than any Human Right, regardless of law.