Google’s pledge to stop censoring search results on Google.cn is a good example of a company placing corporate responsibility above potential economic harm, and I applaud them for it.

The Chinese government’s “soft-power” approach has real world effects on their citizens’ access to information, and perhaps the attention Google has drawn to this problem will result in our government and others taking action.

But it is important to remember that Google did not make this pledge because of the Chinese regime’s position on Internet freedom. For five years Google collaborated with the Chinese government to censor online information available to the Chinese public, while touting the benefits of increased engagement.