Changes to the open Internet in Kazakhstan

[Commentary] Last month, the Kazakhstan Network Information Centre notified Google of an order issued by the Ministry of Communications and Information in Kazakhstan that requires all .kz domain names, such as google.kz, to operate on physical servers within the borders of that country.

This requirement means that Google would have to route all searches on google.kz to servers located inside Kazakhstan. Google found itself in a difficult situation: creating borders on the web raises important questions not only about network efficiency but also about user privacy and free expression. If Google were to operate google.kz only via servers located inside Kazakhstan, it would be helping to create a fractured Internet. So Google has decided to redirect users that visit google.kz to google.com in Kazakh. Unfortunately, this means that Kazakhstani users will experience a reduction in search quality as results will no longer be customized for Kazakhstan.

Measures that force Internet companies to choose between taking actions that harm the open web, or reducing the quality of their services, hurt users. Google encourages governments and other stakeholders to work together to preserve an open Internet, which empowers local users, boosts local economies and encourages innovation around the globe.