This is Scotch and Watch where
and I share stories and banter about the biggest stories in Big Media and Big Tech and call BS where it’s due.In this ep, we get our claws into Google’s claim that internal research shows that news content has zero value.
The study was designed to prove that Google turning off news would have no impact on its traffic or income. As if we care…
To test out its theory, Google turned off half of Europe’s publishers. So much for free speech eh…
It silenced 13,000 publishers across eight countries, and didn’t tell its users.
But this had nothing to do with news having no value, but it yells the truth about Google having no scruples when it comes to its bursting bank accounts.
Let’s call BS.
Google did it because it’s terrified of a legal precedent that the rest of the world might follow.
So, its scientists architected a highly subjective survey to prove its position that news doesn’t make Google much money.
Our take: Who gives a shit how much money Google makes? Its self-stated mission is to organise the world’s information. Where in that mission statement does silencing half of Europe fit?
And let’s not forget that Google has been ruled an illegal monopoly by two judges in two trials and has been ordered to be broken up by two US Presidents.
The survey looked like a death rattle for fading hero that’s frightened about what to tell its shareholders.
There’s nothing quite like a short shelf life to focus the mind… or prompt desperate people into bad choices
But… and this is the important stuff… it’s also a MASSIVE strategic boo-boo.
By turning off news to millions of Europeans in a click, Google proved it can silence an entire industry on a whim. That proves beyond doubt it has monopoly power.
It also proves Google is willing to punch the nuclear button for its own commercial gain when its back is against the wall.
Both bad, but not as bad as this…
Google just showed the strongman in the White House it can silence him in a click.
That won’t be missed by the White House mandarins who know Google is used by five times as many people as voted in the President.
Add to that the fact that Google now earns more money outside the US than in it, and Google’s just tweaked a tiger. One who didn’t hesitate to turn off TikTok when it suited him.
Don’t miss Chris and I smash through all this and more.
And, as if things couldn’t get better, we’re back LIVE tonight.
We’re on air from 7pm tonight Sydney-time (8am in the UK) when we’ll be breaking down Canada’s epic clapback on Trump’s tariffs - using Google as a weapon.
It’s gonna be fun! Come join in, and send us your comments and questions
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