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Google Draws Fire From Congress
bonch writes "Democrat Herb Kohl, the Senate's leading antitrust legislator, has vowed an antitrust probe into Google as one of his top priorities. Others in Congress are criticizing the search giant over several flubs, including scanning personal data over neighborhood WiFi, collecting Social Security information from children in a doodling contest, and sidestepping net neutrality rules through a deal with Verizon. They're also concerned over ties with the administration — Eric Schmidt is a technology adviser to President Obama, Andrew McLaughlin serves as Obama's deputy chief technology officer, and Sonal Shah leads the White House Office of Social Innovation. Google spent $5.2 million last year on federal lobbying, but critics say their increased Washington presence has made more enemies than friends."
Reader walterbyrd contributes an article that suggests this is all just a fund-raising ploy.
Google is smart. They're playing the nice little guy who give everything for free. Even slashdotters love them because it's free. People fail to see the evil behind all that seemingly nice stuff. All the data mining, selling to advertisers, everything. This is why I prefer to pay for software like Microsoft's - their business model is honest and I get what I pay for. Nothing extra, nothing hidden.
Reap what you sow!
to Congress campaigns enough lately.
Yep, it's a shakedown. Nothing to see here, move along.
What about the Son of Acta that was posted yesterday? Or the patriot act? Or the fact that I know while driving to California tomorrow along 8 I'm going to get stopped and searched at least 2 to 3 times by border patrol in complete violation of my 4th amendment rights? I'm not going to say that all of that data mining isn't a treasure trove of information, I'd just suggest this is all a diversion, that if given the chance all those politicians creating a stink would *love* to get their hands on all of it, and that they have *much* more pressing issues at the moment.
That's why Google is being investigated, for being such cheapskates! Don't they know how to lobby properly?! Microsoft has been known to spend up to $25 million, and that isn't much compared to the really big players!
Tried to post this as C64_love but due to Moderation Bombing, my karma is -1 and I can only post once a day. Grrr.
ANYWAY: Google (and other corporations) need to be investigated at every opportunity, and their licenses revoked (or broken-apart like ATT) if found guilty. The semi-equivalent of a prison sentence.
Information wants to be expensive AND wants to be free. So you have Value vs. Cheap distribution fighting each other.
They should do an anti trust probe into real anti trust problems. More specifically one that looks at that ever lovely comcastic company.
Yes, when I think of out-of-control industries that are stamping on the rights of ordinary people, colluding to price-gouge us and passing legislation harmful to American interests, I think Google. Not the RIAA or MPAA or union-busting industries or economy-wrecking fraudulent financial groups or small-business-annihilating megamarts or the military-industrial complex or cable and phone companies. Definitely Google. Please oh please stop them before they voluntarily collect our publicly available SSNs and information we blast out over wireless on clear unencrypted channels.
need to go jump up and down on a pole a few times he might feel a bit better then .
Disclaimer:
I am not stating here that this information is correct, but it's certainly worth a read.
So go ahead, and have a read over here.
Man, they have not thought that one through. Attacking Google is politically like attacking puppies and children.
Until Google Draws Money For Congress
They didn't give enough money to Kohl's campaign.
Reap what you sow!
Amerifags still dont get the lesson of that day? I hope more planes crash on building. Reap what you sow, asshole!
This wifi scandal, as some name it, is really nonsense.
They just collected the location and strength of the wifi hotspots.
The PCWorld magazine has detailed article on this.
Herb is kind of above reproach. Having grown up in Wisconsin and actually met the man once, I can say comfortably that he isn't some kind of fundraising whore; he's a principled legislator who will probably get swept out in the next tide of teabagging. So I would be very careful in ascribing any kind of sinister motive to his investigation, or in drawing any conclusions about what the committee's findings will be.
Oh no we're not incompetent or on the take. This is a very important... thing... we need to tackle. We can't have Google plugging the pipes of the internet. The fact that you all are still loosing your homes and the banks are profiting three times off of your home each time you loose it isn't something we want you thinking about, so look at this google thing! yea! Oh thank you Mr. Bank charman for another campaign donation! Seriously... this whole thing reads exactly like the movie script.
Coffee: The lifeblood of intelligence in civilization.
because they're open.
open!
So it's evil when Google mines my data and makes no attempt to hide the fact that they do, but it's ok when congress creates fusion centers that create profiles of average american citizens that have never committed any crimes and places wire taps on phones without proper warrants or just cause. I'm sorry, but I actually feel much safer trusting Google with my information than I do the federal government. Google just wants to make a profit, the federal government wants to control my life.
Yeah, it's called a legislative shakedown. I don't mind google being pushed around by idealistic Europeans, but once America's asshats get into the game, well it's a shakedown pure & simple.
Google would eventually turn evil once Sergey Brin dies of course, but thus far they ain't too bad. We should encourage Larry and Sergey to push positive moral aims through their company itself, rather than adopting Gate's be evil & then be nice approach.
The Christian religion has been and still is the principal enemy of moral progress in the world. -- Bertrand Russell
Except Google really doesn't try to hide anything. I like Google not just because they give stuff away for free, but because they also deliver a quality product, but, more importantly, they are very honest and transparent with their actions. Like with the incidents with the WIFI data, they came forward and admitted it without anybody investigating them. There is nothing "shady" about their business practices. You may not agree with the way they do that business, but you are completely free to use another product as you so suggest. It's not evil. It's just business
People still link to Goatse? Man, what a classic.
I couldn't think of a better company. They are the drive force behind so many things. For example street view, I couldn't have imaged being able to virtually travel the streets within pretty much any major town in the world. BTW, there is a site that helps you travel virtually using street view.
To distract us from what? Whatever.. the shields will hold.
For justice, we must go to Don Corleone
Not donating enough to the various political parties.
Recently, Google, Facebook, Twitter and other American Internet giants have participated directly in the social storm that has engulfed the Middle East. They have played a key role in manufacturing social disorder, serving a role entirely inappropriate to their status. Wael Ghonim, Google's chief representative in the Middle Eastern and North African markets even rendered assistance to Mohamed ElBaradei in driving forward the anti-government movement in Egypt, becoming the chief agent behind Egyptian demonstrations. The facts have shown that Google is not purely a company, that it seeks not only to make the money of other nations, but also meddles in the political affairs of other countries. It is not just a search engine tool - it is a tool to extend American hegemony.
In the Internet age, whoever dominates the Internet dominates the world. As the world's leading hegemonic power, America has always prioritized the Internet and sought to use the Internet as a means of promoting America's national interests around the world. Google has been very cooperative with this strategic motive of the United States government, and its cooperation has been active.
The enterprise with the world's highest online traffic, Google monopolizes the online search engine markets for the vast majority of nations and regions in the world, and it has the capacity to dominate online information, widely propagate lies and influence the information climate. When a number of countries in the Middle East experienced signs of instability due to inflation and other problems, Google immediately went on the offensive, even allowing a senior company manager to directly establish the online general headquarters of the anti-government movement, fostering successive protest movements and nakedly interfering with the internal politics of other nations. These actions of Google's are astonishing, and they lead people naturally to recall the British East India Company.
In the colonial era, the British East India Company used the monopolization of trade in the colonies to traffic opium and assist Britain in building its hegemony. In the Internet era, Google uses its monopoly of Internet information search to promote American values and assist America in building its hegemony.
At its heart, Google is quite similar to the British East India Company. But in managing its outward appearance it is far more skillful than the British East India Company ever was. Google does not burn, kill and pillage, but rather is a master of disguises. Against the modus operandi of the British East India Company, which was to "carry out trade when necessary and plunder when possible," Google's slogan is far more bewitching: "Do no evil." The problem is that no company on earth "does evil" as a matter of creed, and it is a bit hypocritical for Google to say it "does no evil." The facts show that this "Do no evil" is actually an admission of guilt through a protestation of innocence.
This company that claims to "do no evil" has cooperated with America's National Security Agency to monitor the private information of American citizens. It has been taken to court by publishing companies in France, Germany, Belgium and many countries for violations of copyright. It has been compelled by China and other countries to clean up its act because it disseminates pornographic content. And most recently it has also openly released subversive information, fomenting unrest in other countries. Before the facts, Google's creed of "Do no evil" is like a joke. Is it any wonder that Apple CEO Steve Jobs once said that Google's "Do no evil" creed was complete nonsense?
Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
I wonder if he's had a recent conversation with Rupert Murdoch on this as part of Rupert's travelling roadshow telling everyone how his competitor for the advertising dollar is evil and how they must be restricted or jobs will be lost? Murdoch has a lot of influence and can use it without actually overtly bribing people.
Why facebook/twitter/yahoo/micro$oft/etc aren't under fire even though they do steal personal info so much.
Even the facebook privacy accident is enough to be mad at it.
Finally the screw google campaign http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/microsofts-secret-screw-google-meetings-in-d-c/19143135/
and we are seeing what the Redmond Lobby can really do!
Kill Google! Damn monopolists!
What's that? They have competitors in search, phones, e-mail, and video streaming?
Pfft.. Whatever.
So it's ok for Goldman Sachs to routinely send their CEO's to Washington to serve as Sec Treas. There's no problem with Exxon-Mobil writing energy legislation for the Vice President. But Google wants to advise the President on technology issues? Well now, we can't have that.
...it's for campaign funds.
So, if Schmidt works for the federal government as a technical advisor and retains his Google stock, that's a conflict of interest, right? (I don't know whether he'll be allowed to retain his Google stock, but I haven't read anything to the contrary yet.) I mean, I'm all for trusting someone, but clearly that's led us into disaster as regarding the financial industries.
I live in Wisconsin - I think you were just talking about "Russ Feingold" - that's the principled guy who got swept out by Tea Partiers and a guy who inherited millions and never held office before. Unfortunately, the same profile (inherited...never held office) also applies to Kohl.
The profile of Herb Kohl in the state is that he's the only white guy left who cares about professional basketball (he owns the Bucks), that he's not effective as a accumulator of federal funds, is never quoted as supporting progressive causes (he's been invisible on the state topic of collective bargaining) and he likes keeping a Senate seat because it befits his status (he owns the massive Kohls department chain).
But the lack of campaign contributions may have something to do with it - last time I checked we only had a single Google comp sci research post up here.
The only reason Kohl survives is that no one wants to go toe-to-toe in a TV battle with a billionaire in Wisconsin. But we could do better - a heck of a lot better.
I'll trade our entire government for one run Google-style. They're better at foreign relations. They're better at having a balanced budget. They know how to treat people fairly. They know how not to waste everyone's time on ridiculous litigation that nobody (except their competitors) is calling for, especially when there's a shitton of far more pressing issues at hand. There are also corporations that behave much, much worse than google.
Are you reading this, Google? Get on it.
Looks like another Congressman is looking for the Santorum treatment...
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
For the most part, I believe herb Kohl funds his campaigns out of his own pocket (one of the perks of having a net worth of more than $200 million). Claiming that he's shaking down Google just doesn't fly. Unlike like our governor, Senator Kohl is an upstanding guy.
The answer is Skyhook, a company that war-drives our neighborhoods, collects WiFi info without permission, associates WiFi MACs or other identifying info with Lat. & Long. coordinates and sells a service that can tell WiFi receivers where they are.
So if it's evil for Google to war-drive and collect WiFi identifiers, shouldn't it also be evil for Skyhook?
Disclosure: I don't work for Google but a couple friends do...
--- Often in error; never in doubt!
Oh come now. This isn't about anything as crass as money. It's about fear. Fear drives the political machine and Google makes a really good target. Besides - the telecom / cable / media boys aren't thrilled with Google so who's going to be upset? Whoops. Money rears its ugly head after all.
I think they don't drive around
but use end user devices with gps to collect the data
(So this may make it more heinous)
i.e. if your phone has GPS & Wifi on, it uses end user equipment to build the database
they aren't always 'driving & collecting'.
every day http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
Others in Congress are criticizing the search giant over several flubs, including ... sidestepping net neutrality rules through a deal with Verizon.
What? Haven't we been reading in the past few days about Congress discarding the proposed net neutrality rules, the courts tossing out what the FCC had done on the subject, and so on? How can google be "sidestepping" rules that Congress themselves say don't exist?
Did I miss some news on a recent vote? If so, google news doesn't know about it, either. Asking news.google.com about "net neutrality" gets the story dated Mar 11 about "the House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology rejecting the FCC's open-internet regulations". The rest of the hits all seem to be about various government agencies either rejecting or doing nothing on the topic.
So what regulations are the Congress people accusing Google of sidestepping?
Those who do study history are doomed to stand helplessly by while everyone else repeats it.
Tea Party senator presses for 'vigorous' oversight of Google
By Jordan Fabian - 03/11/11 03:12 PM ET
Utah Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) wants a congressional hearing to examine whether Google has run afoul of antitrust laws.
In a letter to Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), the chairman of a Senate antitrust panel, Lee said that Google's dominance of the Internet search arena prompts the "need for vigorous antitrust oversight and enforcement in this area."
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/149039-tea-party-senator-wants-google-oversight-hearings
So google is an abusive monopolist, and microsoft isn't? How could that be? Oh wait . . .
In his election campaign, the freshman Utah Republican took $5,000 each from executives of Microsoft and AT&T, two of Google’s biggest competitors; executives at 1-800 CONTACTS gave Lee $7,500 in donations last year.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/51414450-76/1-800-anti-company-contacts.html.csp
"sidestepping net neutrality rules through a deal with Verizon"
what. what. what. I mean, it's been over before, but Google *proposed* a different set of net neutrality rules with Verizon. There IS no net neutrality in the law currently. I always find it sublimely ridiculous that Google is accused of "attacking net neutrality" when they tried to get a weaker version of net neutrality passed while there was still a Democratic Congress - which failed partially due to attacks from alleged NN supporters. Now we have nothing.
Why do you call it fund-raising ? It is called extortion.
The Wise adapts himself to the world. The Fool adapts the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the Fool.
Meanwhile Apple is actively exploiting their App store monopoly to crowd out competitors in other markets such as digital books and music. It's a fucking textbook case for antitrust. Wake up FTC!
"Amazingly we still have preserved the freedom of speech a lot more than places like the UK, Germany, and Australia."
You don't know what you're talking about, Aussies are much less restricted than any country I've ever been in.
So, in the days when we just watched the country most ill-favored communication network grab hold of a significant media presence and remove the people they didnt like, its Google we should go after? No. We should go after the illegal monopolies of Comcast and other media giants. Google is not doing very good things, this is true. But it does not represent the immediate threat that groups like Comcast pose to free speech.
Probably several reasons. Just see who Google's primary competitors are, then crosstab that with a list of Republican donors. In addition, Google has announced that they will be hiring in 2011. That just doesn't kosher with the Republicans' plans to squash the economy in order to help their election chances in 2012.
So, google is getting investigated for doing what they want with a service they provide for free? Since when were they under any obligation not to discriminate in their search results? This is like saying that if I create my own search website on my own server that I'm also automatically required to treat all results the same. That is entirely ridiculous.
If google were to discriminate in advertising prices, then yes, go ahead and investigate. But please, you can't force a company to do ANYTHING with a service they offer for free.