As Google and China Square Off, What's the Fallout ?

Google first signaled its displeasure with China in January, after discovering that its source code had been hacked and that human rights activists' G-mail accounts had been targeted. Now it's moved its operation offshore to Hong Kong, where results are not filtered or censored. The Chinese government has retaliated, using its great firewall to block access to Chinese users. Was Google motivated by democratic values or did it make the sacrifice because its market share there is only a small percentage of its global market? Did Google cut off its nose to spite its face, walking away from the chance to grow its market share in Asia? What does its departure mean to other companies? How does this audacious move affect diplomatic ties between the Obama Administration and China?