Seven times US companies gave in to pressure from China

Google might be due for a major comeback in China soon. Leaked documents have revealed it’s planning to launch a custom search app that would filter blacklisted websites and block sensitive queries, according to The Intercept.

A Google spokeswoman told the South China Morning Post that the firm “does not comment on speculation about future plans”.

But it also wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen American companies caving in to China’s demands to gain access to the world’s largest internet market.

Even the world’s most valuable company can’t resist Beijing’s demands. Last year, it pulled some VPN apps from the App Store in China -- a move that drew criticism from human rights activists who argued it would make it harder for people to bypass China’s Great Firewall. It also removed the New York Times app, and censors the Taiwan flag emoji -- it simply won’t appear on Apple devices where the location is set to China.