Reading the official Google blog is like clicking on “I’m feeling lucky.” Full of surprises. Today’s tidbit: Alan Davidson, formerly associate director at the Center for Democracy and Technology, is the first hire for Google’s new Washington operation. Andrew McLaughlin, senior policy counsel, announced the new shop and Davidson’s appoint as the prelude to an explanation of Google’s mission in D.C.:
“Our mission in Washington boils down to this: Defend the Internet as a free and open platform for information, communication and innovation. OK, that sounds a little high and mighty, so let me break it down into something a bit wonkier with a sampling of the U.S. policy issues we’re working on …”
He goes into more detail on net neutrality (Google is for it), copyrights and fair use (Google wants to protect copyright and maintain “strong, viable fair use rights”), intermediary liability (Google opposes it), and lists a host of other issues — privacy and spyware, trademark dilution, patent law reform, voice-over-Internet-protocol (VOIP) regulation. He explains: “The Internet policy world is fluid, so our priorities will surely morph over time.” Global policy issues will be addressed in another post.
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