The Google conspiracy

One of the striking features in the way foreigners look at changes in China is that there is no shortage of conspiracy-theories. Now the - still untested rumor - is going around that two Google features, their cache and the 'blogspot' domains are no longer blocked in some parts of China. It would be a good moment, as their IPO is nearing and they are pushing out new initiatives also in other fields.
In other parts the blocks are still firmly in place: I only got a bit of feedback from Shanghai and there the blockade still works like in old times.
In an email Ben Edelman, previously doing research on internet filtering at the Berkman center of Harvard Law School, dismisses the possibility of a deal between Google and Chinese authorities on the issue. He dismisses this as very unlikely: "All recent tests indicate that China is perfectly able to filter according to the part of the URL after the question mark (the "URL parameters"). So China could block those Google searches that contain the word "cache" as well as the domain name of a blocked site. That's just to say: There's plenty to criticize about Google, but I don't think the evidence is in place to accuse them of conspiring with China.

Also the regional differences in how the filters work are not new. It is a misunderstanding to view China as a communist country including a central command in Beijing. Almost all politics - including the internet filtering - is done on a more local level. There might be lists going around on what sites to block or unblock, but there always have been differences in timing and differences in what is blocked or not.
While information is still lacking, we might for the time being hope that the blocks on the Google-features are on the way out, but are still lingering around in some areas, because the people in charge have not yet returned to work.