‘Google developed strategy to thwart European regulations’

Google is said to have developed a strategy to lobby harder in Europe against government regulation. The company wants to take specific action against European Commissioner Thierry Breton, according to an internal document held by the Financial Times.

According to the Financial Times, Google is planning an “aggressive campaign” against the French Commissioner and other European politicians. In two months, Google wanted to reverse the ‘unreasonable restrictions’ on the revenue model and change ‘the political narrative’. The document specifically refers to the Digital Services Act, a European plan to solve various problems at large tech companies such as illegal content, the advertising market and fake news.

The document states that Google, among other things, wants to “undermine the idea that the Digital Service Act costs nothing to Europeans” and show that “the DSA reduces the potential of the Internet when people need it most now.” The tech company would also like to find ‘more supporters’ within Europe to work together against regulation.

The document specifically mentions Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner who is one of the driving forces behind regulatory laws for major tech companies. In the strategy, according to the Financial Times, Google specifically mentions the goal of ‘pushing back harder’ against the politician while at the same time diluting support for the proposed legislation. The Digital Services Act is not yet in force at this time. A first proposal will probably follow later this year.