Google Nukes China

In response to a large-scale attempt to acquire Google-protected information belonging to human rights activists working within China, Google initiated an investigation that uncovered a massive, below-board surveillance effort almost certainly instigated by the Chinese Government. In a a statement issued at 3:00 today, Google's Chief Legal Officer has indicated their intent to exercise the nuclear option in retaliation:

These attacks and the surveillance they have uncovered--combined with the attempts over the past year to further limit free speech on the web--have led us to conclude that we should review the feasibility of our business operations in China. We have decided we are no longer willing to continue censoring our results on Google.cn, and so over the next few weeks we will be discussing with the Chinese government the basis on which we could operate an unfiltered search engine within the law, if at all. We recognize that this may well mean having to shut down Google.cn, and potentially our offices in China.

This might be the first time that a corporation declared war on a country. Whoever wins, things are about to change.