Google's compromise

In 2006, Google decided to enter China in order to offer search capabilities.  The Chinese government demanded a filter on certain content items, such as key words "human rights".  Google, knowing this to be wrong, launched google.cn anyways with the filters in place.  Their reasoning at the time was in essence the greater good would be served.  Its okay to sacrifice a few people (those seeking political change in China) for the many (those in need of better search services).  They were willing to compromise their mission "to organize the world's information and make it universally useful and accessible". 

Google has belatedly decided to remove the filter in response to cyber attacks on their servers from the Chinese government.  China's actions come as no surprise to those of us who understand the nature of freedom, or the lack thereof in China. 

The basic political principle of the Objectivist ethics is: no man may initiate the use of physical force against others. No man—or group or society or government—has the right to assume the role of a criminal and initiate the use of physical compulsion against any man. Men have the right to use physical force only in retaliation and only against those who initiate its use. - Ayn Rand, The Virtue of Selfishness [bold mine]

If Google is looking for a pat on the back for their change of heart, they won't get it here.  They knowingly perpetuated violations of individual rights by allowing the Chinese government of forcibly control the information shared between individuals.  Their change in policy does not negate the great wrong they committed over the past 4 years.