IP Democracy: Google Opens DC Office

Internet powerhouse and maverick Google is joining the mainstream of the business world — it’s opening an office in DC to represent its interests in policy and legislative realms. Google has hired Alan Davidson, formerly an associate director at the non-profit Center for Democracy and Technology, to protect its interests on such hot-button issues as net-neutrality, privacy and VoIP regulations.

Google lays out its policy goals at its official blog, interesting reading for cable operators and phone companies. Here’s a snippet on Google’s view of net neutrality:

Should an innovator with a new online service or application be forced to get permission from each broadband cable and DSL provider before rolling it out? Or, if that’s not blunt enough for you, what’s better: [a] Centralized control by network operators, or [b] free user choice on the decentralized, open, and astoundingly successful end-to-end Internet? (Hint: It’s not [a].)

Posted by Cynthia Brumfield on October 7, 2005 7:34 AM to IP Democracy