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

Sun Jul 16 14:58:40 EDT 2017

Yet another good reference from the TNI

https://www.tni.org/en/publication/manufactured-consent

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 Sun, Jul 16, 2017 at 3:25 PM, parminder <parminder at itforchange.net>
wrote:

>
> On Thursday 13 July 2017 11:38 PM, Jeremy Malcolm wrote:
>
> 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?
>
>
> I do not think so. But a huge amount of transparency must attend what
> these fellows work on, who sets their agenda, who shapes, vets, etc their
> outputs, and so on?
>
> Since you share EEF's experience with google fellows, let me ask you a
> direct question. A few NGOs where Google placed its fellows have told me in
> the past that Google closely vets final outcomes of any research from these
> fellows. Is it true by your experience/ knowledge?
>
> Meanwhile here is an old Washington Post's report of Google's funding
> related malfeasance, of pretty serious kind, including manipulating
> conferences, and influencing research and general thinktank outputs.
> https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-google-is-
> transforming-power-and-politicsgoogle-once-disdainful-of-lobbying-now-a-
> master-of-washington-influence/2014/04/12/51648b92-
> b4d3-11e3-8cb6-284052554d74_story.html?utm_term=.fe86b3250d50
>
> Not all these reports can be biased....
>
> They had the following to say about google fellows (quoted without
> prejudice, since we are on the topic)
>
> Google “fellows” — young lawyers, writers and thinkers paid by the company
> — populate elite think tanks such as the Cato Institute, the Competitive
> Enterprise Institute and the New America Foundation.
>
> To critics, Google’s investments have effectively shifted the national
> discussion away from Internet policy questions that could affect the
> company’s business practices. Groups that might ordinarily challenge the
> policies and practices of a major corporation are holding their fire, those
> critics say.
>
>  Thanks, parminder
>
>
> 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-
> millions-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 ::
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