A US court dismissed a lawsuit against a Chinese internet giant Baidu, which the plaintiff argued blocks material critical of China’s democratic credentials, a decision that could have far-reaching impact on how US search engines sift information.
The court’s decision in favor of the Chinese Internet firm raises the question as to whether the First Amendment protects as
“free speech” the search results delivered by US-based Google, for example. Indeed, the ruling sets down a significant legal precedent that gives the leading Internet companies “editorial” powers to present information in such a way that conforms to their political, social and cultural views.
Certainly, the hugely influential search engine companies listed above were hardly disinterested observers to the outcome of the court case.
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