Google Shuts Down Translate Service In China

Google Translate, one of Google's last remaining products in China, has been shut down "due to low usage." According to CNBC, "The dedicated mainland China website for Google Translate now redirects users to the Hong Kong version of the service. However, this is not accessible from mainland China." From the report: Google has had a fraught relationship with the Chinese market. The U.S. technology giant pulled its search engine from China in 2010 because of strict government censorship online. Its other services -- such as Google Maps and Gmail -- are also effectively blocked by the Chinese government. As a result, local competitors such as search engine Baidu and social media and gaming giant Tencent have come to dominate the Chinese internet landscape in areas from search to translation.

Google has a very limited presence in China these days. Some of its hardware including smartphones are made in China. But The New York Times reported last month that Google has shifted some production of its Pixel smartphones to Vietnam. The company is also looking to try to get Chinese developers to make apps for its Android operating system globally that will then be available via the Google Play Store, even though that's blocked in China. In 2018, Google was exploring reentering China with its search engine, but ultimately scrapped that project after backlash from employees and politicians.

Imagine, a world without Google

[Provocateur]

Just move to Beijing and get on e-bei

Re:

[splutty]

That's one way of looking at it. An extremely contorted, reversed and imaginary way, but certainly one way.

Re:

[gtall]

Ya, the last thing the proles need is a method to translate foreign reports on their own government's totalitarian niceties intended to cultivate them as subservient mushrooms.

Delusional at best.

[Eunomion]

The main reason to criticize Google is disrespect of privacy. So to turn such a criticism into praise of China's totalitarian state is lunacy, if not painfully obvious propaganda from that very state.

Democratic governments must boycott dictatorships

[poptopdrop]

The governments of decent, democratic countries must boycott the world's remaining dictatorships to make the world a nice place for everyone.

Re:Democratic governments must boycott dictatorshi

[GoTeam]

The governments of decent, democratic countries

Sounds good. Let us know if you find any...

Probably due to money but long time coming

[mattr]

In Shanghai 5+ years ago I found google maps to be a lifesaver. But I remember very well buying a "throw-away" cheap mobile router for an internet connection they were selling from a table that seemed practically within customs. I wanted to make sure I had connectivity and tried to access google, which worked but the people at the table freaked out saying it wasn't allowed. This was while Google was still in operation there actually. I found live translation apps to be useful but I don't think it was google

Re:

[AmiMoJo]

Translate is the only Google service that hasn't been blocked for well over a decade in China. I guess there isn't much to object to about it, and a lot of visitors use it.

As for spying on users, probably not. The Chinese apps allow offline translation, although I suppose they could transmit it later. But the Chinese government really isn't interested in that level of access. They want to control what they call "rumours", that is information that embarrasses them and spreads via social media. They also want

Re:

[GargamelSpaceman]

Isn't it weird how China is a complete enemy of Google and Google's bottom line, yet Google allows Youtube channels like China Uncensored to be completely demonetized and de-ranked by China's army of Wu-Mao trolls?

Re:

[AmiMoJo]

YouTube has a lot more problems with wrongly demonetizing than just anti China channels.

Evil company and evil country end relationship

[iAmWaySmarterThanYou]

News at 11.

anyone upset?

[Ella The Tutor]

Well it wasn't any good anyway

China's overseas infiltration

[Symson]

It's gonna come to a head soon. Smart individuals and companies in the US and othet countries whose sold out to China should stop now before it's worse. The pendulum is about to reverse. The day of reckoning fast approaches.