Google and China clash horns yet again over Gmail

by Steven Mostyn - Mar 21 2011, 10:34

Following weeks of disruption to the Gmail service in China, search titan Google has this week suggested that persistent problems affecting users, advertisers, and proxy servers are actually the result of covert government interference.

“Relating to Google there is no technical issue on our side,” outlined a Google spokesperson. “We have checked extensively.”

“This is a government blockage carefully designed to look like the problem is with Gmail,” the company added.

It’s also worth noting that Gmail users residing within the communist nation began complaining of accessibility issues at around the same time calls for protests similar to those in the Middle East and North Africa began appearing online.

Furthermore, AFP reports that the Chinese government’s annual 10-day parliamentary session came to a close last week—an event that often prompts elevated online security in order to cope with unwanted activity from dissidents. 

This latest blockade comes after Google banged heads with the Chinese government back in January of 2010.

At that time, the online titan moved to reduce its presence in China after it said authorities had attempted to hack into the Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists.

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