Google Secures Content License in China

BEIJING — Google announced that China has renewed the search engine giant’s Internet content provider license.

"We are very pleased that the government has renewed our ICP license and we look forward to continuing to provide web search and local products to our users in China," Google said.

The announcement comes several days after Google announced a hybrid approach to search in the region, according to PCMag..

To avoid losing its license in China, Google said it would stop completely re-directing all Google.cn traffic through its Hong Kong site and instead reinstate the Google.cn landing page.

The search component is still an unfiltered option going through Google.com/hk, while other Google.cn services that have traditionally been unfiltered, like music and text translate, will be available via Google.cn.

Back in January, a conflict erupted between China and Google after the search engine announced it would stop censoring its search results in China.

Google had discovered that attacks originating in China had unsuccessfully tried to access Google intellectual property as well as the Gmail accounts of several Chinese human rights activists.

After discussions with Chinese officials, Google started re-directing its Google.cn traffic to the unfiltered Google.com/hk.

That reportedly angered Chinese officials, who told Google that its move was unfriendly, irresponsible and would have consequences.

Last week, Google said the Chinese found its Hong Kong re-direct option "unacceptable" and threatened to pull Google's license if a reasonable solution was not found.

To avoid going dark in China, Google implemented its hybrid approach, which has apparently been accepted by Chinese officials.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Strike 3 Rejects Meta 'Personal Use' Defense in AI Suit

Vixen Media Group owner Strike 3 Holdings this week responded to Facebook parent company Meta’s motion to dismiss Strike 3’s suit accusing Meta of pirating VMG content to train its artificial intelligence models.

Pornhub, Stripchat: VLOP Designation Based on Flawed Data

In separate cases, attorneys for Pornhub and Stripchat this week told the EU’s General Court that the European Commission relied on unreliable data when it classified the sites as “very large online platforms” (VLOPs) under the EU’s Digital Services Act, news organization MLex reports.

New Age Verification Service 'AgeWallet' Launches

Tech company Brady Mills Agency has officially launched its subscription-based age verification solution, AgeWallet.

AEBN Publishes Popular Searches for September, October

AEBN has published the top search terms for the months of September and October from its straight and gay theaters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Creator, Influencer YesKingzTV Passes Away at 47

Adult content creator and social media personality YesKingzTV, aka Micheal Willis Heard, has passed away at the age of 47.

Pre-Nominations Now Open for 2026 TEAs

The pre-nomination period for the 2026 Trans Erotica Awards (TEAs) is now open.

FSC Releases Updated Age Verification Toolkit

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has announced the release of its updated age verification toolkit.

Duke Tax Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

Duke Tax has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

UK Moving Ahead with Plan to Outlaw 'Choking' Content

The U.K. government has announced its intent to follow through on criminalizing “choking” content, a plan that was announced earlier this year.

Italy to Require Age Verification for Adult Sites

Italian media regulator AGCOM has announced that all sites and platforms hosting adult content will be required to implement age verification systems to prevent access by users under 18.

Show More