Refreshing: Google Takes a Stand on Principle

Google is taking "heat from the Street" for it's decision to take on China in a battle over access to information.  Co-founder Sergey Brin is talking to the Wall Street Journal about the principled stand the company is taking in it's decision to close down operations in one of the biggest emerging markets down the road.

To shareholders, yes, Google is basically denying itself access to one of the biggest internet markets on the planet.  Expect growth forecasts to be trimmed.  Expect an impact on the bottom line.

But give Google credit. The company made a business decision linked to it's core values rather than it's return on shareholder investments.

I'm not a stock owner of Google, but if I were a shareholder, I think the company gains intrinsic value for taking a stand on principle against practices by China that hinder the free flow of information that we so greatly enjoy in the free world. 

People in China are not free. They are oppressed by a government that will take extreme measures to hide the truth and inhibit anything but allegience to the state and to Mao.

Google is a company that can afford to say no the potential growth and revenue that a market like China offers.  Say what you may about the company on other fronts. It takes guts to take this type of stand with an emerging world power leaning on one shoulder and shareholders leaning on the other.

Will Baidu, Microsoft's Bing, and other search engines move into fill the gap left by Google?  You bet.  Google knows this, but it sounds like the company is more committed to the free flow of information than it is to making a buck.

For that, I respect Google.