Google says Microsoft's support of a bill for greater bargaining power for news pubs is “self-serving” and intended to distract from the SolarWinds hack

Google has always been committed to providing high-quality and relevant information, and to supporting the news publishers who help create it.

The Keyword 2021-03-13 Kent Walker

Context & Ripple Effects

The clash places publisher bargaining inside a broader contest over Google’s control of the publishing stack: related coverage reported that European publishers faced the prospect of losing access to Google ad tools over reader-data restrictions, an example of publisher dependence on Google’s advertising tools.

The dispute also foreshadows a recurring Google-Microsoft pattern in which policy advocacy becomes a competitive weapon. Later coverage of Microsoft’s claims of Google-backed campaigns targeting it in Europe reinforces that the two companies contest each other through regulatory narratives as well as products.

First-order effects

Google’s intervention challenges Microsoft’s standing as a backer of stronger publisher bargaining, making the bill’s debate partly about the motives of the platforms aligned around it.
Publishers and lawmakers seeking leverage over Google must navigate a public fight in which Microsoft’s support is presented as competitively interested rather than publisher-led.

Second-order effects

Google and Microsoft gain another venue for contesting each other’s influence: news-policy advocacy can shape regulatory pressure without either company changing its core product offering.
Publisher negotiations become more entangled with platform competition, as shown by Google’s later joint local-news funding agreement with California, which paired support for local news with an AI project.

Third-order effects

If this pattern persists, bargaining regimes for news content will increasingly be shaped by rival platforms’ strategic alliances, not only by the interests of publishers and legislators.
The broader structural issue is platform gatekeeper leverage: publishers’ bargaining power depends on whether policymakers can separate content-market remedies from the commercial conflicts of the largest technology suppliers.

The trend: News-publisher policy is becoming a battleground where dominant platforms use regulatory positioning to contest each other’s market power.

Discussion

@googlepubpolicy @googlepubpolicy on x
But let's discuss the issue, not be derailed by naked corporate opportunism. As Microsoft faces increased competition from us and others, it's reverting to its familiar playbook of attacking rivals and lobbying for regulations that benefit its own interests.
@ceciliakang Cecilia Kang on x
Brad Smith, Microsoft pres, throws behind an antitrust bill that would give news orgs greater bargaining power w Google, Facebook. 30mins before the hearing and Smith's testimony, Google releases blog from GC calling Smith's testimony “Self Serving” https://blog.google/...
@bowknowsbiz Bowdeya Tweh on x
Shots fired (or shots returned) —> Google v. Microsoft “Unfortunately, as competition in these areas intensifies, they are reverting to their familiar playbook of attacking rivals and lobbying for regulations that benefit their own interests.” https://blog.google/...
@wycats @wycats on x
https://www.theverge.com/... You're “breaking the way the open web works” says the company that has released product after product that only works on its web browser. These folks are very very credible.
@funnygodmother Cheryl Platz on x
So the big defense Google came up with is “change is bad and look at this other stuff Microsoft has done?” If we're talking other stuff, let's talk your Ethics in AI problems, Google. 🧐 The current system doesn't work - how many journalists did HuffPo lay off this week? https://t…
@johnvoorhees John Voorhees on x
Something something AMP https://www.theverge.com/...
@mikebaz Michael C. Bazarewsky on x
Google has somehow managed to both practice “whataboutism” and fuck it up both at the same time. That's kind of amazing. https://twitter.com/...
@backlon Dieter Bohn on x
Both things can be true: Google's dominance in every part online ads has distorted the market and made it harder for media companies to make money Microsoft's lobbying could have unforeseen consequences that could harm the open web in serious ways https://www.theverge.com/...
@jason_kint Jason Kint on x
Wow. Senator @SenMikeLee absolutely scorching Google in a prerecorded speech at Google's trade group's event. He is even referencing collusion allegations with Facebook in the antitrust lawsuits and the potential of Facebook and Google being a “bonafide cartel.” Get me video.
@googlepubpolicy @googlepubpolicy on x
The timing of Microsoft's sudden interest here is no coincidence. Read more here: https://blog.google/...
@mshannahmurphy Hannah Murphy on x
Punchy statement from Google accusing Microsoft of “naked corporate opportunism” for backing a US bill to make tech platforms pay for news: https://blog.google/... Also damn where Google says this “marks a return to MSFT's longtime practices”, it hyperlinks to the FUD wiki 🍿👀 htt…
@9to5google @9to5google on x
Google accuses Microsoft of ‘naked corporate opportunism’ that could break the web https://9to5google.com/... by @technacity https://twitter.com/...
@stevekovach Steve Kovach on x
“Scroogled.” Now there's a term I haven't heard in a long time. https://www.cnbc.com/...
@alex @alex on x
I missed this Google-MSFT diss that I fully appreciate https://blog.google/... https://twitter.com/...
@tomwarren Tom Warren on x
Google has launched a scathing attack on Microsoft today, accusing it of trying “to break the way the open web works.” Google also accuses Microsoft of trying to distract from the SolarWinds attacks. Yikes. Full details here: https://www.theverge.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@birnbaum_e Emily Birnbaum on x
Yikes: “It's no coincidence that Microsoft's newfound interest in attacking us comes on the heels of the SolarWinds attack and at a moment when they've allowed tens of thousands of their customers ... to be actively hacked via major Microsoft vulnerabilities.” https://twitter.com…
@markjansen10 Mark Jansen on x
About MSFT: ‘They are now making self-serving claims and are even willing to break the way the open web works in an effort to undercut a rival. And their claims about our business and how we work with news publishers are just plain wrong.’ https://blog.google/...
@suka_hiroaki Andreas Proschofsky on x
THAT paragraph. Wow. Can't remember the last time Google openly attacked a competitor like that. Fully dragging them through the dirt for the Exchange Mass hacks. In an article that actually is about news and journalism. https://blog.google/... https://twitter.com/...
@shiraovide Shira Ovide on x
Giant tech companies arguing over which giant tech company is more parasitic and self-serving is ... bad. Let's not do this. https://twitter.com/...
@kantrowitz Alex Kantrowitz on x
Google's Kent Walker takes off the gloves and comes after Microsoft: “It's no coincidence that Microsoft's newfound interest in attacking us comes on the heels of the SolarWinds attack” https://blog.google/... https://twitter.com/...
@gerritd Gerrit De Vynck on x
Google is going off on Microsoft for supporting regulations against it. “Naked corporate opportunism,” “diversionary,” “self-serving” https://blog.google/... https://twitter.com/...
@fantaalexx Alexander Fanta on x
Google attacks Microsoft full-on for alleged “naked corporate opportunism”. The spat broke out after Microsoft aligned itself with publisher in Australia and elsewhere demanding license payouts from Google and Facebook for linking to their content. See: https://blog.google/...
@jamestitcomb James Titcomb on x
OOOH the Google v Microsoft wars are back. “It's no coincidence that Microsoft's newfound interest in attacking us comes on the heels of the SolarWinds attack... maybe it's not surprising to see them dusting off the old diversionary Scroogled playbook.” https://blog.google/...
@davidshepardson @davidshepardson on x
.@Google goes into the attack against @Microsoft https://blog.google/... https://twitter.com/...
@b_fung Brian Fung on x
Google is trying to blunt Microsoft's line of attack in today's upcoming House antitrust hearing on Big Tech's impact on news publishing — accusing Microsoft of “self-serving claims” and trying to deflect from cybersecurity woes: https://blog.google/...
@ccianet Ccia on x
Ahead of today's House antitrust hearing, see Google's post: Our ongoing commitment to supporting journalism @google https://blog.google/...
@kantrowitz Alex Kantrowitz on x
This is going to be a fun one. Smith, @NewsCEO, and @ggreenwald all testifying today. Perhaps Smith can elaborate on his comments about how Microsoft buys politicians. https://twitter.com/...

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