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Google marketed themselves strongly as a promoter of the Open internet and gained credibility and support from the Tech community for this. They promoted it as

by gress 12y ago

Google marketed themselves strongly as a promoter of the Open internet and gained credibility and support from the Tech community for this. They promoted it as one of their values. Now that it's commercially convenient for them they have betrayed this value, and all of the people who gave them credit for it. That is why they deserve criticism. Also, it should be pointed out that if Google works against an open internet, there will be little chance of saving it. Apple on the other hand, has a different set of values. You can criticize them, but they haven't pretended to be something they are not.

dm2 12y ago
"Now that it's commercially convenient for them they have betrayed this value" That's a 100% FALSE statement. In what way have they betrayed the open-internet initiative? They helped start both internal and external organizations to support the initiative. How would it benefit Google to have a more restricted internet? Now that the issue is mainstream maybe they've determined that the "right" outcome will prevail, they only have so many resources, at some point they have to start dedicating resources towards other initiatives and projects. https://www.google.com/takeaction/ https://www.google.com/takeaction/ https://www.google.com/intl/en/takeaction/whats-at-stake/ https://www.google.com/intl/en/takeaction/whats-at-stake/ http://www.google.com/publicpolicy/issues/internet-access.html http://www.google.com/publicpolicy/issues/internet-access.ht... From the link above: "Google is a strong supporter of an open Internet." "The Internet was built and has thrived as an open platform, where individuals and entrepreneurs can connect and interact, choose marketplace winners and losers, and create new services and content on a level playing field." "One of Google’s top policy priorities is spurring the availability and uptake of affordable, open broadband Internet service." "Broadband-based Internet providers should not be permitted to discriminate against, or in favor of, certain services, applications, or viewpoints on the Web."
- gress 12y ago
  Quoting Google's marketing just proves the point about their duplicity. How do you account for them joining with Verizon to lobby against network neutrality? A more restricted internet would benefit Google because they have huge capacity of their own and very deep pockets to buy priority where necessary, so they would be further protected against competition and their own products would be advantaged.
  - dm2 12y ago
    I can't find anything about Google lobbying against net neutrality, do you have any sources? 4 years ago Google modified Verizon's proposal after years of stalemate, moving forward was in the best interest of everyone involved, including consumers. Would you not agree that it's better that Google be involved in the Verizon (or any telecommunications company) proposal rather than be absent from it? It seems like a reluctant compromise they made, maybe they regret being associated with it, but they were in no way against net-neutrality. http://googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com/2010/08/joint-policy-proposal-for-open-internet.html http://googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com/2010/08/joint-policy-... What's wrong with quotes from their public policy sites? What would be a better source? Here is the EFF's take on the 2010 Google/Verizon situation: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/08/google-verizon-netneutrality https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/08/google-verizon-netneut... Also: https://www.eff.org/guide-to-the-fcc-net-neutrality-proposal https://www.eff.org/guide-to-the-fcc-net-neutrality-proposal
    - pessimizer 12y ago
      >Would you not agree that it's better that Google be involved in the Verizon (or any telecommunications company) proposal rather than be absent from it? Yes, I would not agree?
    - gress 12y ago
      If we're going by quotes from corporate websites, Comcast also supports the open internet, so none of us have anything to worry about.
- wpietri 12y ago
  Google would actually do very well with a more restricted internet. They're a big enough player that they can either pay off or threaten the various oligopolistic ISPs. That's not as true for their competitors, especially startups. And anything that hurts startups generally will make it much easier for them to acquire good companies at low prices.

by gress 12y ago

dm2 12y ago

"Now that it's commercially convenient for them they have betrayed this value" That's a 100% FALSE statement. In what way have they betrayed the open-internet initiative? They helped start both internal and external organizations to support the initiative. How would it benefit Google to have a more restricted internet? Now that the issue is mainstream maybe they've determined that the "right" outcome will prevail, they only have so many resources, at some point they have to start dedicating resources towards other initiatives and projects. https://www.google.com/takeaction/ https://www.google.com/takeaction/ https://www.google.com/intl/en/takeaction/whats-at-stake/ https://www.google.com/intl/en/takeaction/whats-at-stake/ http://www.google.com/publicpolicy/issues/internet-access.html http://www.google.com/publicpolicy/issues/internet-access.ht... From the link above: "Google is a strong supporter of an open Internet." "The Internet was built and has thrived as an open platform, where individuals and entrepreneurs can connect and interact, choose marketplace winners and losers, and create new services and content on a level playing field." "One of Google’s top policy priorities is spurring the availability and uptake of affordable, open broadband Internet service." "Broadband-based Internet providers should not be permitted to discriminate against, or in favor of, certain services, applications, or viewpoints on the Web."

gress 12y ago
Quoting Google's marketing just proves the point about their duplicity. How do you account for them joining with Verizon to lobby against network neutrality? A more restricted internet would benefit Google because they have huge capacity of their own and very deep pockets to buy priority where necessary, so they would be further protected against competition and their own products would be advantaged.
- dm2 12y ago
  I can't find anything about Google lobbying against net neutrality, do you have any sources? 4 years ago Google modified Verizon's proposal after years of stalemate, moving forward was in the best interest of everyone involved, including consumers. Would you not agree that it's better that Google be involved in the Verizon (or any telecommunications company) proposal rather than be absent from it? It seems like a reluctant compromise they made, maybe they regret being associated with it, but they were in no way against net-neutrality. http://googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com/2010/08/joint-policy-proposal-for-open-internet.html http://googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com/2010/08/joint-policy-... What's wrong with quotes from their public policy sites? What would be a better source? Here is the EFF's take on the 2010 Google/Verizon situation: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/08/google-verizon-netneutrality https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/08/google-verizon-netneut... Also: https://www.eff.org/guide-to-the-fcc-net-neutrality-proposal https://www.eff.org/guide-to-the-fcc-net-neutrality-proposal
  - pessimizer 12y ago
    >Would you not agree that it's better that Google be involved in the Verizon (or any telecommunications company) proposal rather than be absent from it? Yes, I would not agree?
  - gress 12y ago
    If we're going by quotes from corporate websites, Comcast also supports the open internet, so none of us have anything to worry about.
wpietri 12y ago
Google would actually do very well with a more restricted internet. They're a big enough player that they can either pay off or threaten the various oligopolistic ISPs. That's not as true for their competitors, especially startups. And anything that hurts startups generally will make it much easier for them to acquire good companies at low prices.