Google again

The Google (and Facebook) stories are a journalist's (or blogger's) dream. They just keep on giving.

The Internet Industry association has weighed in to respond to the Conroy criticism of Google at estimates. In a very strange piece headed "More policy less personal attacks" it seems the Chair of the IIA has gone into bat for Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, as I think he is the only individual named in what was generally a tirade against a corporation.

Personally I recko equating the attitude of the Corporation with that of its CEO is pretty reasonable, and much better than what often goes on in our industry where people who should be able to use the Nuremburg defence get attacked.

I'm not sure why the Australian internet industry thinks it has an important role in defending Google here. Actually Google should consider itself lucky that Conroy is merely open to the accusation of making personal attacks rather than actually directing agencies under his control to investigate and proseute, which is what is happening to Google in other jurisdictions.

I'm also not at all sure that an organisation that seems committed to opposing the policy that Conroy took to the last election (on filters) should be asking for more policy from Conroy.