As a citizen, Google user, and Google shareholder, I have a strong perspective on Google's decision to aggressively censor search results in China. As a citizen, I believe that Google is missing an opportunity to assert moral leadership that can influence closed societies much better than collaboration (or as Google calls it, "engagement"). As a Google user, I no longer trust automatically Google's results, and I no longer give Google carte blanche credibility. And as a shareholder, I think that Google is seriously devaluing its more valuable asset -- its trust, image and brand. This will be bad for users, bad for society and bad for Google.

There are many ways to make my voice heard. And since there is similar protest talk elsewhere on the Web, I'm trying to develop a clearinghouse of protest or direct action ideas. So I've created the Protest Google site where other concerned people can comment, or join an email list to stay informed.

Google still has a window of opportunity to reverse their fateful decision to compromise their Don't Be Evil principles. If you're concerned about this, join me in making our voices heard.

Note: Since this should be an open and participative process, I've tried to use all-Google tools -- Blogger, Gmail and Groups. Should we need to conduct any actions requiring the element of surprise (all legal, of course), I will switch to non-Google communication channels.

Site: ProtestGoogle.blogspot.com
Email: Censorship.Is.Evil@gmail.com

What if every programmer, hacker, inventor, coder, etc. took on the idea of undermining the Great Firewall of China?

Find ways to deliver the news about freedom that Google censors, safely and easily past the firewall, and past Google, to the Chinese people.

Post your ideas here and elsewhere, build websites that deliver the news the Chinese need, but perhaps encrypted.

Create a Google app that lets Chinese see the real news.

Explore all possible ways around the barriers.

Create ways the Chinese can create blogs and send email safely to communicate within the country.

A massive array of proxy servers? Napster type networks? encryption? tunneling?

If you understand this sort of programming, YOU can be a freedom fighter! If you forward this idea to others who can help, you are just as much a freedom fighter!

And you are a freedom fighter if you keep holding Google's feet to the fire, as well as all companies who have sold their soul to enslave others.

Want to join the battle for freedom?

Millions of Chinese will be grateful!