Google vs China: Lessons in good corporate communication

Right when I am in the middle of Googled by Ken Auletta and, fresh after reading how companies in China are improvising, expanding and acquiring to make the country a manufacturing super-hub, comes the Google China standoff. What better time? The first thought that comes to mind about this story is that it is unique. A company versus a government? There maybe a few cases involving Russia and Venezuela but, initiated publicly by the company? None that I can think of. Though a lot of my friends have mentioned that Google has a small share of the search market in China and has nothing to lose, I personally believe that the potential of lost business is huge considering that Google is now also entering the phone business. What is most interesting is how Google has garnered headlines and moral support all around. An example of really great corporate communication. Of course the real ramifications are even bigger if you realize that with the kind of data Google has about each one of us - our inboxes, preferences, blogs, read lists and what not - one wrong step could have been a disaster.

This post on google's blog explains the Google's new approach to China is amazingly well written. David Drummond, company Corporate Development and Chief Legal officer explains that the company faced a security breach and its intellectual property was stolen. That is nothing new for IT companies. They face these kinds of attempts regularly. The next few paragraphs take the story to completely different level. According to the post many other IT companies and inboxes of human rights activists were targeted. Google suddenly seems to be taking a stand on behalf of other companies and also supporting human rights. A security breach is successfully converted into an opportunity for moral high ground. China's bad reputation makes things easier. Grade B+

Secondly, Google takes special care to assure us that no information was hacked except for two accounts to ensure that you and I who use Gmail everyday don't feel unsafe while logging in into our inboxes next time. The company safeguards itself by mentioning that accounts of those supporting human rights activists in China might have been regularly accessed through malware. Yesterday evening when I logged in to my inbox, I also noticed that a red label on the top right hand corner. It explained my mail had reached me via the secure 'https' protocol. Grade B+ with a positive inclination

The last paragraph then establishes Google as reasonable and all for the good cause. No wonder the Wall Street Journal reporter links it with Google's motto of Do No Evil. The company is willing to discuss and negotiate with the Chinese government. It is no longer willing to censor search results at http://www.google.cn/. What could have been a privacy debacle for Google has been converted to a battle in support for privacy and human rights. Grade A.

What do you think about Google's handling of the situation?