Everybody forgets to mention, that Google is withdrawing from a market it can not grasp- 25% share is doable, a 8% share is a clear signal for other markets. So withdrawal is a strategic decission. Attacks, freedom of speach and such is imho only last resort PR. Its a withdrawal strategy – better to run than to infect healthy projects (other countries/languages).

Google cant win chineese market, because it can not handle chineese language the way it appears to handle other types of languages. The model isnt fit for what baidu says is “more arth than science”.

In chinesse there are 38 ways to say “i”. and when chineese children learn to use (read, write) the language they use completely different cognitive skills that are needed for learning “alphabethical” grammar comprehension.

Short: Google does not know how to serve better results to Chineese native speakers, than the chineesen natively speeking competitor.

Thats why they withdraw from the market, before the share falls to a critical level, which would signal weakness elsewhere.

The freedom of speach – privacy breach – censoring – agenda is part real part a coverup PR story.

Call me a conspiratist ;)

Does that make sense?