[bestbits] Accountability group puts Google in same league as big oil and big tobacco

Thu Jul 13 15:09:03 EDT 2017

* I deleted by mistake part of a phrase.

* Research funds and State grants to Universities are reducing,  as tax
cuts, privileges to tech companies and tax evasion increases.

Cheers,

R

Renata Avila

*Senior Digital Rights Advisor*
renata.avila at webfoundation.org

*1110 Vermont Ave NW, Suite 500, Washington DC 20005, USA* *| *
*www.webfoundation.org* <http://www.webfoundation.org/>* | Twitter:
@webfoundation*

On Thu, Jul 13, 2017 at 9:04 PM, Renata Avila <
renata.avila at webfoundation.org> wrote:

> I second Renata.
>
> Our research and advocacy space is suffering from a funding problem and it
> is harming its credibility. It will be great to have a larger pool of funds
> supporting our efforts, which are becoming more mainstream and relevant for
> the next 50 years (especially for developing countries). The production of
> research is extremely concentrated and, as austerity is rampant all over
> the World, State funding to research is shrinking by the day even for
> developed countries at the same pace as tax evasion (or elusion) (Google is
> not guilt free in this area http://fortune.com/2016/
> 03/11/apple-google-taxes-eu/)
>
> And in small countries, priorities of both governments and private sector
> to support research support traditional areas, such as health or education.
> Certainly, local funds are not supporting local advocacy efforts for
> privacy, net neutrality, etc.
>
> I think the problem is deeper and I think that, in order to continue our
> work and efforts with impartiality and credibility, we need a coordinated
> effort to get a diverse pool of donors and ways towards sustainability. I
> think the comparisons of Big Oil funding Greenpeace, when we talk about
> giants like Facebook or Google, is valid now.
>
> What about all the ICANN money? Will it be enough to fund all global and
> local advocacy and at least part of the relevant research? A global fund?
> Crowdfunding for advocacy and more pressure on governments for research?
>
> R
>
>
>
> Renata Avila
>
> *Senior Digital Rights Advisor*
> renata.avila at webfoundation.org
>
> *1110 Vermont Ave NW, Suite 500, Washington DC 20005, USA* *| *
> *www.webfoundation.org* <http://www.webfoundation.org/>* | Twitter:
> @webfoundation*
>
> On Thu, Jul 13, 2017 at 8:20 PM, Renata Aquino Ribeiro <raquino at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Yes it does.
>> Unless they are transparent about it and clear about it not interfering
>> with their research ethics.
>>
>> In the public education system in developing countries it is quite common
>> to see funding being misused. Researchers who get money from international
>> organizations, even some national ones, using public universities to
>> advance an agenda. And yes, this can be sometimes an astroturfing exercise.
>>
>> Which is why access and production of knowledge needs to be always
>> transparent and public.
>>
>> Unfortunately most of internet policy has not waken up to this yet. I
>> wonder if it ever will.
>>
>> Em 13/07/2017 15:09, "Jeremy Malcolm" <jmalcolm at eff.org> escreveu:
>>
>>> But here's an article putting the other side of the story:
>>>
>>> http://www.chronicle.com/article/Scholars-Cry-Foul-at-Their/240635
>>>
>>> We place Google Policy Fellows at EFF, too.  Does that mean that
>>> whatever work they do for the rest of their careers is tainted by the few
>>> thousand they received to support their living expenses as an EFF fellow?
>>>
>>> On 13/7/17 3:21 am, parminder wrote:
>>>
>>> Google has spent millions funding academic research in the US and Europe
>>> <https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news> to try to influence
>>> public opinion and policymakers, a watchdog has claimed.
>>>
>>> Over the last decade, Google has funded research papers that appear to
>>> support the technology company’s business interests and defend against
>>> regulatory challenges such as antitrust and anti-piracy, the US-based
>>> Campaign for Accountability (CfA) said in a report
>>> <https://campaignforaccountability.org/new-report-reveals-googles-extensive-financial-support-for-academia/>
>>> .
>>>
>>> “Google uses its immense wealth and power to attempt to influence
>>> policymakers at every level,” said Daniel Stevens, CfA executive director.
>>>
>>> ................
>>>
>>> Academics were directly funded by Google in more than half of the cases
>>> and in the rest of the cases funded indirectly by groups or institutions
>>> supported by Google, the CfA said. Authors, who were paid between $5,000
>>> and $400,000 (£3,900-£310,000) by Google, did not disclose the source of
>>> their funding in 66% of all cases, and in 26% of those cases directly
>>> funded by Google, according to the report.
>>>
>>> ...........
>>> “Whenever Google’s bad behaviour is exposed, it invariably points the
>>> finger at someone else,” said Stevens. “Instead of deflecting blame, Google
>>> should address its record of academic astroturfing, which puts it in the
>>> same league as big oil and big tobacco
>>> <https://www.theguardian.com/world/series/tobacco-a-deadly-business>.”
>>>
>>> https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jul/13/google-mi
>>> llions-academic-research-influence-opinion
>>>
>>> As we know Google has recently been fined $ 2.7 billion for
>>> anti-competitive practices by the EU regulator, which only means that in
>>> all countries that are too weak to take on google (or benefit from its
>>> profits, meaning the US) Google remains in violation of competition (and
>>> many other) laws..... All this Google funded research and advocacy, of dont
>>> regulate the Internet (read, Internet companies), are playing a dangerous
>>> game, seriously compromising public interest.
>>>
>>> It is time we declare the honeymoon of civil society and academic love
>>> for digital global corporations over. They are today like big oil companies
>>> -- no doubt the latter provide what is still the main energy resource that
>>> keeps our societies ticking but in the bargain they very often, and
>>> systemically, indulge in stuff that needs academics and NGOs to be watching
>>> against. It is pretty difficult to undertake such watching while taking
>>> considerable money from them. It is a simple truism, but the digital sector
>>> tends to ignore it.
>>>
>>> parminder
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ____________________________________________________________
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>>>
>>> --
>>> Jeremy Malcolm
>>> Senior Global Policy Analyst
>>> Electronic Frontier Foundationhttps://eff.orgjmalcolm@eff.org
>>>
>>> Tel: 415.436.9333 ext 161
>>>
>>> :: Defending Your Rights in the Digital World ::
>>>
>>> Public key: https://www.eff.org/files/2016/11/27/key_jmalcolm.txt
>>> PGP fingerprint: 75D2 4C0D 35EA EA2F 8CA8 8F79 4911 EC4A EDDF 1122
>>>
>>>
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