It begs a question, will Bing overtake Google in China? Time will certainly tell but currently the overwhelming leader in China is Baidu. But Google’s recent issues with the Chinese Government have caused tension between the search giant and the world’s most populous country. Now to that point about censorship, I think Google stands on high moral ground and I think it’s difficult for companies to make a decision that they know will negatively effect their bottom line. So I say kudos to them, and on the other side Microsoft made a business decision to continue to filter search results based on the feelings of the Chinese Government.
Search engines: Could China be a boon for Bing?
As Google pulls out, Microsoft faces a delicate challenge in a red-hot market.
Microsoft’s Bing search engine has gained little traction in China since launching last year. In fact, there was even a slight hiccup before launch, as the company was forced to alter the search engine’s branding for the Chinese market: “Bing” can translate to either “cold” or “sick.” Now it seems the ongoing feud between rival Google and the Chinese government could provide an opportunity for Bing to gain share, but it won’t be easy.
In March, after a cyber attack on its servers, Google shut down its Chinese site and refused to continue censoring search results in accordance with local law, as it had done since 2006. The company now redirects traffic to its Hong Kong site where the search results are unfiltered, although Google acknowledged the Chinese government could still block access for mainlanders.
That would leave roughly 30% of the Chinese search market up for grabs. Microsoft declined to comment on its plans for Bing in China, other than pointing to a blog post written by CEO Steve Ballmer in January. Ballmer both reaffirmed the company’s commitment to “protecting and advancing free expression” in the world while simultaneously abiding by local laws, such as those in China that require censorship.
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