Comments on: Is Britain’s Government Too Close to Google? http://gigaom.com/2011/03/14/is-britain%e2%80%99s-government-too-close-to-google/ Sat, 25 May 2013 04:40:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: David Claughton http://gigaom.com/2011/03/14/is-britain%e2%80%99s-government-too-close-to-google/#comment-609004 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 21:34:35 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=317079#comment-609004 Absolutely, clearly my sarcasm failed to come across. I don’t for one moment believe Google and Cameron have any sort of inappropriate relationship – and if I ever did come to believe that it wouldn’t be because the BPI and UK Music said so ;-)

The one interesting thing here is that the fact that Cameron is coming under criticism by the aforementioned, makes it seem more likely that this review is not in fact a cover for giving the recording industry everything they ask for – unlike the shenanigans which resulted in the DE Act.

]]> By: Ian Betteridge http://gigaom.com/2011/03/14/is-britain%e2%80%99s-government-too-close-to-google/#comment-608814 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:39:28 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=317079#comment-608814 I don’t think trading one set of corporate overlords for another is how you make good, well-balanced policy on things like copyright. Although I think copyright reform is long overdue, the idea of Google heavily influencing policy for its own benefit is no better than the BPI doing the same.

]]> By: Bobbie Johnson http://gigaom.com/2011/03/14/is-britain%e2%80%99s-government-too-close-to-google/#comment-608748 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 09:25:13 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=317079#comment-608748 So you’d trade one form of lobbyist influence for another, because at least you feel like you have something to gain?

]]> By: Bobbie Johnson http://gigaom.com/2011/03/14/is-britain%e2%80%99s-government-too-close-to-google/#comment-608747 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 09:24:13 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=317079#comment-608747 Cameron’s chief spin doctor until recently was, of course, former News of the World editor Andy Coulson, who resigned over links to a phone hacking scandal under his watch as a tabloid boss. He’s been replaced by a former BBC executive, Craig Oliver.

But yes, Steve Hilton’s job is not a public-facing spin doctor in the mould of Alistair Campbell, if that’s what you’re implying.

]]> By: David Claughton http://gigaom.com/2011/03/14/is-britain%e2%80%99s-government-too-close-to-google/#comment-608409 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 21:50:50 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=317079#comment-608409 Well sure, if the likes of Mike Batt at the BPI and Fergal Sharkey say Cameron is in Google’s pocket, then clearly it must be true!

Seriously, the recording industry have shown they’re prepared to do just about anything to claw back their gatekeeper status so they can continue to keep running to the bank with over 80% of all earnings of all artists. It’s about time the press stopped taking their claims at face value.

]]> By: Eric http://gigaom.com/2011/03/14/is-britain%e2%80%99s-government-too-close-to-google/#comment-608353 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 19:37:45 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=317079#comment-608353 Normally their spin doctors are former editors of tabloids. Steve Hilton sounds clean in comparison.

]]> By: Ged Carroll http://gigaom.com/2011/03/14/is-britain%e2%80%99s-government-too-close-to-google/#comment-608317 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:55:09 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=317079#comment-608317 Surely the problem was that the previous administration had been too close to old media like record labels and film companies? With the then BPI lobbyist running as a prospective labour candidate and Peter Mandelson’s famous dinner with David Geffen in Corfu.

I for one would welcome a party that was a lot closer to Google than it currently is.

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