Google CEO grilled by US senators over Chinese search engine

Google CEO Sundar Pichai is being questioned by six US senators on reports about the company’s plan to release censored search engine in China. Reports surfaced last week that Google is planning a censored search engine project for China via The Information. Following these reports, six US senators including Florida Republican Marco Rubio have written to Pichai. Google has neither confirmed nor denied these reports.

In 2010, Google refused to yield to Chinese censorship on ethical grounds. According to a Fortune report, Florida Republican Marco Rubio, raised concerns on these reports: “What has changed since 2010 to make Google comfortable cooperating with the rigorous censorship regime in China?”

In a letter written by US senator to Pichai, he notes that Google’s project is “deeply troubling and risks making Google complicit in human rights abuses” on Chinese soil, reports Fortune. The report further reiterates Google’s refusal to go along with “Chinese government censorship requirements on ethical grounds, and essentially abandoned the market.”