There is a certain musical rhythm to our digital media industry calendar. If there was a crescendo, I expect it would be in the Fall, as leaders migrate from execution to strategic planning. And with this shift, conference season begins. There are many forces at work shaping these agendas, not the least of which are businesses wanting to get their messages to market.  

As is so often the case, Google sits at the top of the influence food chain and its extensive industry relations efforts impact nearly everyone else’s agenda. Whether Google’s wishes and goals are delivered directly (as they are for a privileged few of their so-called “premium partners”) or through the company’s trade lobbies, press efforts, investments and research, Google’s impact is as predictable as the autumn leaves.  

But this year is different. 

As we wind down 2019, Google is a bit less focused on driving its own profits and a lot more focused on strengthening its fortress against scrutiny. Right now, it seems that Google’s first and only priority is to dispel or confuse any analysis being done on anticompetitive behaviors. This marks a more sensitive and controlled conversation for Google.  

For us, it is important to bear in mind that one of Google’s best defenses can be getting the industry to support its efforts. This is where all of us come into play. We need to be sure we clearly see (and accurately portray) how self-serving Google’s “industry relations” efforts are. The good news is that we are all smarter now. And we – the media industry, the press, and politicians everywhere – are in a position to take informed, proactive action to confront wrongdoing in the form of untenable industry dominance.  

The market today 

Here is what we know about the scrutiny of Google:  

1. Everyone has upped their game. Everyone. The people involved in the many antitrust investigations have done a lot of homework. This isn’t 10 years ago; it’s not even three years ago. Global scrutiny by international regulators, the press, and the industry has made everyone smarter on the topics. These days, critics are unlikely to get lost in the complexity of Google’s digital business. (As an example, this time around regulators are asking questions about nuanced industry topics like auction mechanics and data rules.) 
   
2. Everyone understands Google’s core business. Everyone. Google operates free services in order to devour as much data as possible in order to micro-target advertising to audiences. Investigations appear to be focused on Google’s vertical control over experiences and the entire advertising stack funding them. This is where Google continues to make more than 85% of its revenue. And dozens of Google products work together to enable it.  
   
3. Everyone is significant. Everyone. Investigations happening globally from Australia to the U.K. In the U.S., it includes 48 State Attorneys General, Congress, and the Department of Justice. Put another way, a lot of serious antitrust experts across nations, and political aisles, are aligning to explore areas of concern.  

Growing concerns  

These investigations primarily focus on the intersection of Google’s data practices and its market dominance. Both are protected by Google’s command of search and mobile operating systems – two areas where the company has already been found by EU regulators to have violated antitrust law.  

Aggregating other’s content for searching the web was the original and easiest version of Google’s strategy to understand (and attempt to address). However, the company has extended into new services that exponentially increase its ability to collect data. And, as we now know, a majority of Google’s data collection occurs when users aren’t even choosing to interact with Google.  

So, the roll-out of privacy laws in Europe (and now the U.S.) present escalating risk to Google’s business. As Google attempts to comply with these new data protection laws while maintaining its profits, it needs to avoid tripping more antitrust wires as it did last year in Europe.  

Make no mistake, the cards are still stacked in Google’s favor. Its annual budget for academic research, think tanks, lobbying, publisher support, trade press PR, and event sponsorships likely matches the top lines of revenue for nearly every organization in the industry. No one wants to upset Google and therein lies one of the key symptoms of the problem.  

What can the industry do? 

But in the interest of transparency and support for a fair assessment of Google’s business practices, what can the rest of the industry do to be supportive? 

1. Press scrutiny. I would emphasize that the trade and policy press must continue your great work to cover the company fairly and with the healthy bit of cynicism it deserves. This has shifted significantly over the past few years in a positive way as newsrooms have ramped up their coverage of big tech. We’re seeing fewer instances of the industry press simply rehashing Google’s announcements or sharing its carefully crafted blog posts. Instead, they’re reporting on them with proper context and careful analysis.  

It is important to add that as an industry that seeks to inform, instead of simply propagating the spin of a corporate blog post, we have a responsibility to share the best coverage of issues, even when it’s written by the competition. With the advent of social, proliferating quality information must be one of our highest objectives.  

2. Independent academic research. We saw something remarkable play out this past quarter. Academics at Carnegie-Mellon and Minnesota released independent, empirical research that showed how little publishers actually benefit from third party cookies (around 4%). The research spanned three years and offers critically important analysis as publishers consider changes to data policy. For this reason, it also very much threatens Google’s interests.  

Recently, Google released its own “internal research” consisting of a single data point, which suggested that more than 50% of advertising revenue would be lost without third party cookies. It’s a ridiculous argument. After reporters and academics scorched Google for the claim, they eventually posted a thin three-page summary which they subsequently buried and backed off from (suggesting, perhaps, that they weren’t anxious for another careful analysis of the quality of this “research”). No doubt there are many more examples. 

As an industry, we must continue to question self-serving or corporate-baked research. The onus is upon us to seek out the best independent research and share it widely.  

3. Persistence. When Google’s Head of News put out a blog post defending its practices and unwillingness to pay publishers for use of their content despite competitors’ willingness to pay and new copyright laws rolling out in Europe, that’s not the last word. When Google sends a note to publishers in France extorting them to give Google permission to use their content for free or lose traffic to their website, there is only one answer: “No.” This all happened in the past week. Really, Google is not going to turn off Google News across Europe and they’re also not likely to want to be in an inferior position as other news platforms roll out.  

As an industry, and bound by ethics and the law, we need to continue to hold the line for the proper value of trusted news and entertainment and the trust of the users and advertisers we serve.  

The PR machine rumbles, but its workings are exposed 

Just this week, we witnessed the incredible power of the Google disinformation machine. A senior executive at Facebook and several industry influencers are sharing a piece that uses an arcane analysis of file sizes (yes, as in bytes) instead of referral traffic to confuse the issue of the company’s search dominance and disparage the knowledge of a vocal antitrust proponent. It is disheartening to see this get any air. At the same time, we clearly see that politicians have increased their knowledge of how Google’s business (and PR machine) works. Rather than being buried by obfuscation, we see clear-eyed and immediate push back coming from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle including Senators Josh Hawley and Elizabeth Warren. 

I considered titling this piece, “Winter is Coming” but that’s overused. I’ll just conclude with a note that there are significantly important investigations happening by competent authorities which will impact the future of our industry. And California offers new guidance for how data can be collected and used. Both issues play directly into publishers’ business interests.  

Fortunately, there are positive signs. We see well-informed, reasoned calls for a close examination of technology’s impact and its business practices. Journalists and industry watchdogs have begun to see biased research and self-serving statements for what they are. And that is progress.