Google criticizes Microsoft for trying to ‘break the way the open web works’

Google and Microsoft engineers can collaborate on the Chromium browser code, but that hasn’t stopped corporate policy between the two. Google launched a scathing attack on Microsoft today, accusing it of trying to “break the way the open web works in an effort to undermine a rival”.

Google is upset about what it believes is an attack by Microsoft to undermine the company’s efforts to support journalism and publishers. In January, Google threatened to remove its search engine from Australia in response to a law that would require Google to pay news publishers for its content. Australia passed the law in February, just days after Google relented and struck a deal with News Corp. and other publishers who have ensured that their services remain available in Australia. (Facebook, on the other hand, removed the ability for users and publishers to share news content in the country, which won some concessions from the Australian government.)

In the midst of all this, Microsoft has made public its support for Australia’s new law and has even partnered with European publishers to ask for online platforms to reach content payment agreements with news agencies. Google is not happy with the involvement of Microsoft and this is the first major public fight we have seen since the era of Scroogled.

“They are now making selfish claims and even willing to break the way the open web works in an effort to undermine a rival,” said Kent Walker, head of global affairs at Google, on a blog. “This latest attack marks a return to Microsoft’s longstanding practices. Walker links to Wikipedia’s entry for Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (FUD) and accuses Microsoft of muddying the waters to divert attention from recent security problems.

“It is no coincidence that Microsoft’s new interest in attacking us comes right after the SolarWinds attack and at a time when they allowed tens of thousands of their customers … to be actively hacked through major Microsoft vulnerabilities,” says Walker. “Microsoft was warned of vulnerabilities in its system, knew it was being exploited and is now controlling the damage as its customers struggle to pick up the pieces of what has been dubbed the Great E-mail Theft. So it might not be surprising to see them dusting off Scroogled’s fun old strategy book. “

This unusual attack by Google also occurs as the House Judiciary Committee analyzes the antitrust and commercial aspects of the competition for a free and diverse press. Google argues that it does not make money from Google News, but Microsoft argues that it is much more complicated and involves Google search ads, ad technology businesses, ad exchange, ad technology tools and the general data set from Google’s consumer.

“News organizations have ad stock to sell, but they can no longer sell directly to anyone who wants to place ads,” said Microsoft President Brad Smith. “Instead, for all practical purposes, they must use Google’s tools, operate on Google’s ad exchanges, contribute data to Google’s operations and pay money to Google. All of this affects the ability of news organizations to benefit economically even from advertising on their own websites. “

Google and Microsoft are clearly at odds over the central argument of whether publishers should have more control over a digital advertising industry dominated by the search giant and Facebook. Microsoft wants Congress to move ahead with the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act and “allow news organizations to bargain collectively with online content distributors.”

Google, on the other hand, believes that its Google News Initiative, where it tries to collaborate with the news industry, is sufficient to help news organizations. As Microsoft and Google fight a war of words, the House Judiciary Committee meets today to hear less forceful arguments about the future of the press in the digital age.