The Google debate over operations in China is an excellent example of types of global ethical and security issues U.S. companies face as they expand operations around the world. Google's systems were targeted by highly sophisticated hacker attacks aimed at obtaining proprietary information, including personal data belonging to Chinese human rights activists who use Google'sGmailservice.Google, which originally agreed to filter search results based on Chinese government censorship rules, decided to unfiltered search results after what it called an infiltration of its technology and the email accounts of Chinese human rights activists. China called Google's plan to defy government censorship rules unfriendly and irresponsible, and demanded Google shut down all operations in China.

Why would China want to filter search results? Do you agree or disagree with China's censorship rules? Do you think Google was acting ethically when it agreed to implement China's censorship rules? Why do companies operating abroad need to be aware of the different ethical perspective found in other cultures?