SubscribeGoogle, the lobbyists and a reminder
Posted in Internet, News on July 28th, 2007. By Maren Hermans.
In the past months, Google made such big steps that it is a. hard to follow, b. hard to belive and c. hard to accept. Natural scepticism makes me wonder how more is accepted from a company that thrives on its image as a very innovative and very colourful bunch of happy people.
Everything seems so political correct: ‘There’s little in the way of corporate hierarchy and everyone wears several hats.’ Google informs about its intern company politics. But if something so nice becomes so big, it is a bit scary. Isn´t it?
‘By any measure, Google is seriously outgunned in Washington. Its spending on lobbyists in 2006 amounted to a mere $720,000–a fraction of what the Google co-founders spent on their personal jet.’
Declan McCullagh and Anne Broache write in their article on antitrust. Google is planning on buying doubleclick.com: and the question is if they are allowed to. But regarding this huge amount of money, there is probably not so much to discuss about.
And while YouTube’s logo crownes the candidate debates, or while the candidates are crowning YouTube’s first step into broadcast television, another number makes the round; for 4.6 Billion Dollar, Google wants to pave its way into the future, producing the conditions they need: open wireless internet.
‘As it has outlined in a letter to the FCC (PDF) and numerous times on its company blogs, Google wants the agency to require that any firm that bids for rights to the 700 MHz spectrum promise to: 1) let customers download and use any software on the network; 2) let customers use any device on the network; 3) sell wireless space to any third-party wireless provider at commercial rates; 4) allow the wireless network to interconnect with other Internet service providers.’
Farhad Manjoo writes in his article (via Digg News). ‘Google Rules’ and ‘Bravo to Google’ are the responses to his post.
In the past months, it seemed that everybody accepted Google as an authority that gives the world its freedom in communication, entertainment and information. But still, it is a company.
Just to remind you.
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