Microsoft Calls Out Google For Running 'Shadow Campaigns' in Europe To Influence Regulators (cnbc.com) 25
Microsoft took the unusual step on Monday of publicly criticizing longtime rival Google for running "shadow campaigns" in Europe designed to discredit the software giant with regulators. CNBC: Microsoft lawyer Rima Alaily wrote in a blog post that Google hired a firm to recruit European cloud companies to represent the search company's case. "This week an astroturf group organized by Google is launching," Microsoft lawyer Rima Alaily wrote in a blog post. "It is designed to discredit Microsoft with competition authorities, and policymakers and mislead the public. Google has gone through great lengths to obfuscate its involvement, funding, and control, most notably by recruiting a handful of European cloud providers, to serve as the public face of the new organization."
The conflict represents a fresh battle between two companies that do battle in cloud infrastructure as well as online advertising and productivity software. The latest chapter surfaces as Google faces heightened regulatory pressure in Europe and in the U.S., where it's in the midst of its second antitrust trial against the Justice Department. Alaily suggested in Monday's post that Google hired advisory firm DGA Group to set up the Open Cloud Coalition. One company that opted not to participate in the group told Microsoft that the coalition would receive financial backing from Google and criticize Microsoft's practices in Europe, Alaily wrote.
The conflict represents a fresh battle between two companies that do battle in cloud infrastructure as well as online advertising and productivity software. The latest chapter surfaces as Google faces heightened regulatory pressure in Europe and in the U.S., where it's in the midst of its second antitrust trial against the Justice Department. Alaily suggested in Monday's post that Google hired advisory firm DGA Group to set up the Open Cloud Coalition. One company that opted not to participate in the group told Microsoft that the coalition would receive financial backing from Google and criticize Microsoft's practices in Europe, Alaily wrote.
Re:Shadow campaign? (Score:4, Insightful)
The word you are looking for is "projection".
Re: (Score:3)
Strange how Microsoft funded Foundem cost Google $2B in EU antitrust over comparison shopping.
Re:Shadow campaign? (Score:4, Insightful)
Remember the trick they pulled on ISO with MSOOXML? With 100+ country delegations bribed (some had investigations but the vast majority were dismissed or ended with a slap on the wrist), ISO then having problems with quorum as most of these newly joined delegations had no interest in other topics?
Microsoft accusing others of a shadow campaign is kind of a coal miner's kettle accusing others utensils of being dirty.
Re: (Score:3)
About 10-15 years ago we had to write an app that wrote out MSOOXML files (docx specifically) with a looping table etc.
Never again. It's effectively an xml representation of the binary file as opposed to an actual designed document format.
Yes, everything was plaintext (not binary blobs fortunately) and documented but it required an understanding of how word (and only word) structures things in memory.
Re: Shadow campaign? (Score:2)
Awww... Big players aren't happy with each other.. (Score:3)
Pot meet Kettle (Score:5, Insightful)
As if Microsoft doesn't have an army of lawyers and lobbyists doing the exact same thing :|
It takes one to know one (Score:3)
longtime rival Google for running "shadow campaigns" in Europe designed to discredit the software giant with regulators
If anyone knows about unfair competition, it's Google. If I was the regulators, I'd listen to them. And then I'd go after them too of course.
Re: (Score:3)
Indeed. Although, to be fair, Google services and products are nowhere as fucked up bad as what Microsoft offers. Well, they will eventually get there.
Re: (Score:3)
Yeah, that's M$'s turf, it'll call out encroachment on a dime.
Has Microsoft's patent expired? (Score:4, Insightful)
"Open" Cloud Coalition (Score:2)
As a friend said about another organization with "Open" in its name: "The only thing 'Open' is its mouth."
nothing unusual for google (Score:2, Insightful)
Microsoft waves red flag at bull. (Score:2)
This is Microsoft saying to European regulators, "LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME!" You'd think they'd be smarter than that, but then again, they're still foisting Windows on the world, and making it worse with each iteration.
I mean, sure, regulators will look at Google too, but if I were Microsoft I certainly wouldn't stand on any podiums shouting about the competition being corrupt.
Straight from the MICROS~1 playbook (Score:2)
Back in the day Waggener Edstrom [edge-op.org] carried out precicely that function for MICROS~1.
To: Stephanie
Yes! User the MS way, _bribe_ people! (Score:3)
And, of course, Google or others simply telling regulators the truth, which is that MS products and services are fucked up and likely cannot be fixed, is, of course, a big no-no!
Its like watching two bullies fighting (Score:3)
Good for them! (Score:1)