Google scare campaign goes global

Google is facing heavy criticism for recruiting users from outside Australia to fight new media bargaining legislation.

Google has escalated its scare campaign against the government’s upcoming mandatory bargaining code, asking inter­national Google and YouTube users to intervene on its behalf.

Google is facing heavy criticism for recruiting users from outside Australia to fight new media bargaining legislation, with the move being labelled an act of desperation and “doomed to fail”.

The tech giant has escalated its scare campaign against the government’s upcoming mandatory bargaining code, asking inter­national Google and YouTube users to intervene on its behalf and send feedback to Australia‘s competition watchdog to help ward off the impending regulation. “Your voice is important and you don’t have to be based in Australia to send your views on the draft code to the ACCC,” Google told its followers from global accounts including its “TeamYouTube” Twitter profile.

“To help support your favourite creators, email [e-mail] by 5pm AEST on 28 August 2020. We’ll share more ways to get involved in the coming days.”

Former ACCC chair Allan Fels said the tactic was desperate and would prove pointless, particularly given overseas users don’t vote in Australia. “I believe Google and Facebook have few Australian supporters. They may not be able to find many powerful local supporters, so they’re trying to come up with some international support,” he said.

“I would be surprised if it had much effect. My belief is that the government and the ACCC will stick to their guns.”

The former competition tsar, who successfully took on global record companies in his role, said the ACCC would be used to threats from global companies of cutting off investment or services.

“It’s just part of the daily flow of threats that goes to the ACCC, and it is well trained in dealing with them. The ACCC rarely backs down if it thinks it’s doing the right thing,” Professor Fels said.

“I think many consumers will be very sceptical of Google‘s threats, and inclined to discount them. The ACCC actions are likely to create an international precedent, and for that reason, there will be maximum pressure from all sides, but especially the platforms, to water it down.”

The opposition has flagged bipartisan support for the legislation, with communications spokeswoman Michelle Rowland saying “the importance of this news media code cannot be ­understated.”

“Google’s decision to draw attention to the draft code using its search function also serves to highlight Google’s immense reach and power,” she said.

“It is imperative the Australian government communicate the proposed measures clearly and be responsive to the issues being raised. Equally, the digital platforms now have the opportunity to come to the table to help craft a workable solution.

“At a time when the Fourth Estate has never been more important, the viability of Australian news media depends on it.”

On Tuesday, Google issued a statement denying it had spread misinformation and reiterated that its search and YouTube products were “at risk in Australia”.

“We are concerned our view of the code has been represented this way during a phase of public consultation,” the company said.

“[The ACCC] incorrectly implied that Google indicated in its that it would start charging users for Search and YouTube. Google does not intend to charge users for these free services.”

The company also argued that the code requires it to tell news media businesses what data it collected, what data it supplied to them, and “how the registered news business corporation can gain access to” the data Google doesn’t supply to them.

“It appears clear the purpose of those obligations is to enable registered news businesses to seek access to the user data,” Google said.

The ACCC was contacted for comment.