Google Inc. (GOOGL)’s Gmail Blocked In China

A standoff continues to ensue between Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and Chinese authorities after Gmail service accessibility through third-party applications was blocked. Gmail web addresses are reported to have gone offline as early as Friday with traffic volumes dropping by 85% and falling further on Saturday to Zero.

Google Shifts Blame

The latest restrictions have been attributed to a Great Firewall according to GreatFire.com; a freedom of speech advocacy group in China. The latest restrictions are believed to be part of a plot by regulators in the country to bar Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) completely. The restrictions have already cut off users of third party services, including Mail App   built into iPhones and iPads.

Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) has in a statement stated that it does not see anything wrong on its side thus shifting the blame to Chinese regulators. Users in China had resorted to using Virtual Private Network to skirt the Great Firewall as one of the ways of accessing emails on Google’ Gmail through third party applications. It is not the first the time that Google has found itself entangled in a standoff with regulators in the country.

Effects on companies

The giant search company has already seen its search and map functions disabled as authorities try to limit citizen’s access to foreign news as tensions continue to mount over cyber security and hacking. The blocking of Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL)’s services is also part of a strategy by the communist party to hold a strong grip of power by limiting pro-democracy group’s accessibility to info. Gmail’s blocking is especially going to hit hard companies that have always relied on the messaging platform for communication.

The blocking of Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) comes as a surprise as China’s government run Global Times had written on December 16, that the government remained committed to returning Google and Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ:FB) accessibility in the country.  The editorial has since pulled down the excerpt from its website as well as other websites that had reposted it.

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