MashGet

Google found itself at the center of an escalating international controversy over censorship in China this week when the Chinese government apparently shut down its services, claiming the search engine is contaminating the country with pornography.

The action, a common response from the Chinese government when it believes citizens are accessing Web sites it finds objectionable, comes amid continuing criticism of China for requiring that all new computers sold in the country after July 1 be loaded with software capable of blocking not just porn but also political sites it opposes. The move has triggered a global outcry and even drawn sharp protests from many Chinese citizens.