Google officially doubles EU lobbying – but true figure is surely higher

Google doubled its EU lobbying efforts last year – but the real figure is likely to be much higher than it has declared, as it doesn’t include money spent on ongoing disputes. The Californian data slurper and hoarder overtook [paywall] Goldman Sachs as the biggest lobbyist in the US last year and is the biggest Federal …

[Anonymous Coward]

Do no evil

...get others to do it on your behalf.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Do no evil

There is also "don't get caught" and "blame someone else and hope no one notices it was you"

[Crazy Operations Guy]

Re: Do no evil

You mean like the nameless "Rogue admin" when it was obviously the fault of whoever architected the network and policies, or just bad procedure.

[Daggerchild]

Wait...

So Microsoft is spending more on lobbying in Europe than Google are, even after Google doubled theirs?

[Alister]

More chocolate dessert, Commissioner?

...and finally, sir, a wafer-thin mint?

[Fred Flintstone]

...and finally, sir, a wafer-thin mint?

Thumbs up for the Meaning of life reference, I can so visualise this in some swanky Brussels restaurant, especially if I add a French accent :).

[Crazy Operations Guy]

``privacy in a report marked “Who Has Your Back”''

Depends on who they mean by "Your"...

[Anonymous Coward]

Antitrust actions in the US were dropped because of its lobbying of the whitehouse. I hope the EU doesn't fall for the same trap. Google has an unhealthy control over the digital world from our browsers to our smart phones, even to the internet connection we use with Google Project Fi and Google Fiber. Also not forgetting search and video and maps and email. If the EU does nothing like the US has done nothing Google could be the last man standing. Want to do a search in a few years, then you'll have a fine choice between Google or Google.