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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoPlainText><a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/google-encourages-users-to-join-campaign-against-copyright-draft-law-a-870590.htm">http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/google-encourages-users-to-join-campaign-against-copyright-draft-law-a-870590.htm</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i>It is a new type of lobbying power when Google now endeavors to enlist its users in the struggle to defend its own business interests. In the language of the Internet, one could also say that the company is trying to crowdsource its own lobbying efforts. This is a widespread method in the US, where it's known as grassroots lobbying.<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><o:p> </o:p></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i>In doing so, the company is relying on a trick that Germany's Pirate Party has also used to achieve many of its successes: It merely brands a proposal that it's targeting as a threat to the free, open and uncensored Internet. The tactic behind this move is obvious. Recently in the US and on a European Union level, a number of bills have failed due to resistance from online campaigns. With its current campaign, Google is seeking to use this to its own benefit -- and is openly playing on politicians' widespread fear of a shitstorm.<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><o:p> </o:p></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i>Legal but Risky Business<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><o:p> </o:p></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i>The vehemence with which Google is pursuing its campaigns is astonishing because it entails considerable risks for the company. The discrepancy between Google's lofty words and its agenda is far too evident: Of course the company is not primarily interested in the freedom of Internet users, but rather in defending its own freedom against any government regulation of its monopoly-like power over the market and public opinion. This raises the question of whether such an approach does more harm than good to its own interests.<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><o:p> </o:p></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Well worth reading the whole article…<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>M<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>-----Original Message-----<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>From: michael gurstein [<a href="mailto:gurstein@gmail.com"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>mailto:gurstein@gmail.com</span></a>] <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Sent: Monday, December 03, 2012 2:52 AM<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>To: 'ciresearchers@vancouvercommunity.net'; <a href="mailto:cracin-canada@vancouvercommunity.net"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>cracin-canada@vancouvercommunity.net</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Subject: FW: Hmmmm... Google: "Internet Freedom!"... (from taxes?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><a href="http://delimiter.com.au/2012/11/23/australian-govt-pledges-action-on-google-tax-avoidance/"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>http://delimiter.com.au/2012/11/23/australian-govt-pledges-action-on-google-tax-avoidance/</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>[MG>] <a href="http://tinyurl.com/d9fhmhx"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>http://tinyurl.com/d9fhmhx</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><a href="http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/news/15431664/france-says-google-would-lose-court-case-over-taxes/"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/news/15431664/france-says-google-would-lose-court-case-over-taxes/</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>[MG>] <a href="http://tinyurl.com/c43nfs8"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>http://tinyurl.com/c43nfs8</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><a href="http://en.apa.az/news_google_italy_suspected_of_tax_evasion__183392.html"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>http://en.apa.az/news_google_italy_suspected_of_tax_evasion__183392.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>[MG>] <a href="http://tinyurl.com/cc4ayk2"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>http://tinyurl.com/cc4ayk2</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><a href="http://www.3news.co.nz/Starbucks-Google-Amazon-accused-of-UK-tax-evasion/tabid/369/articleID/276457/Default.aspx"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>http://www.3news.co.nz/Starbucks-Google-Amazon-accused-of-UK-tax-evasion/tabid/369/articleID/276457/Default.aspx</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>[MG>] <a href="http://tinyurl.com/dylfaxy"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>http://tinyurl.com/dylfaxy</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><a href="http://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/11/23/0156212/australian-govt-pledges-action-on-google-tax-evasion"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>http://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/11/23/0156212/australian-govt-pledges-action-on-google-tax-evasion</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><a href="http://gurstein.wordpress.com/2012/10/11/the-ituwcit-thinking-about-internet-regulatory-policy-from-an-ldc-perspective/"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>http://gurstein.wordpress.com/2012/10/11/the-ituwcit-thinking-about-internet-regulatory-policy-from-an-ldc-perspective/</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>[MG>] <a href="http://tinyurl.com/8cw6tux"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>http://tinyurl.com/8cw6tux</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><a href="http://tinyurl.com/choul5g"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>http://tinyurl.com/choul5g</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>