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Jason Kint

Mar 10 • 7 tweets • 4 min read

Wow. Yes I’m watching. 🍿 Parliament demanded Google turn over docs, emails, texts and senior execs testify in reaction to perceived threats by Google. Instead Google sent underlings. Committee just ordered they be sworn under oath after some time dodging questions. /1 #CHPC #c18

This is a good but scorching line of questioning of Google. If there was a Canadian news story about your being sued by the US Justice Department, about car seat safety, about name the issue, would it be blocked by Google? /2

Here is a link to live hearing. Speaking of links, Google has continued to feed its BS talking points where it tries to take credit for the value of its “free” links despite its clear monopoly and gatekeeper power which the legislation seeks to address. /3 ourcommons.ca/Committees/en/…

https://twitter.com/jason_kint/status/1574956189179293696

Here is a link to my testimony and background on the legislation. But today isn’t about Google’s views of the bill that impacts their monopoly and trillion dollar market cap. Today is about Google’s abusing its market power and threatening the representatives of Canada. /4

https://twitter.com/jason_kint/status/1574956189179293696

Bam. Now under oath and under significant pressure and demand of the Chair, Google employee admits that Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai and Chief Legal Officer Kent Walker were aware of the blocking of news to Canadians while Parliament considers legislation impacting Google. /5

The reason this matters: Google’s top lobbyist, CEO and (intentionally in quotes) “head of news” found time to fly to Canada to lobby behind closed doors but won’t answer Summons for an open parliament hearing. It’s disrespectful to the entire nation. /6

@NewsMediaCanada

Precisely, G is blowing smoke about changing web. “This heavy-handed unilateral behaviour underscores that there is a significant power imbalance between publishers and platforms that needs to be addressed.” - @NewsMediaCanada CEO Paul Deegan. /7 cbc.ca/news/politics/…

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More from @jason_kint

Jason Kint

@jason_kint

Feb 12

Not sure I’ve read a more ill-informed take by WaPo Editorial Board in recent years. Super disappointing. Headline was promising but then contorts itself into arguing the lawsuit is weak but may lead to legislative fixes. 1/5

It even relays a few weak / wrong Google talking points being shared regarding duty to deal and characterizes Google Search as “wildly popular” rather than also under a DOJ lawsuit for alleged illegal conduct. 2/5

I’m sorry but have you actually read the 150 page complaint? It’s not simply network effects. 3/5

Read 5 tweets

Jason Kint

@jason_kint

Feb 10

OK, I read it. Court ruling in Facebook lawsuit is absolutely scorching. Gibson Dunn (sanctioned) and several Facebook employees are ripped to shreds but no doubt were paid incredibly well for protecting the kingdom and Facebook's massive cover-up. The decision is a must-read. /1

The original partner on the defense for Facebook is torn apart in a footnote. But again, he protected the kingdom for multiple years. It adds to his storied resume. And in DC, the same firm actually was able to resist most discovery and deposition of Zuckerberg. /2

Again, this is why (likely Sheryl Sandberg's call) wanted them on this lawsuit. They did their jobs. Facebook paid the FTC and SEC avoiding digging too deep. This lawsuit actually got under their covers in a very uncomfortable way before Facebook proposed record settlement. /3

Read 11 tweets

Jason Kint

@jason_kint

Feb 1

California’s new privacy agency has posted what is expected to be the final rules for CPRA (prop 24). Should be voted on this Friday. I don’t see anything substantively different. This feels a lot like pain for Facebook after you turn on global opt out. Ouch. 1/3

And this is the part that the surveillance capitalism complex pressed to suggest users had to authenticate in order to turn on a global opt out (preference signal like GPC). 2/3

On that note, just reading through the adtech complex freak-out over global opt out. I wonder how many of these were coordinated by the same firm. Enjoyed it. cppa.ca.gov/meetings/mater…

Read 4 tweets

Jason Kint

@jason_kint

Jan 28

Whoa. A super late Fri night unsealed doc in lawsuit Facebook is trying to settle for record $700+ million. It includes this long-hidden Sep '18 "Status and Re-scoped Approach" from the unprecedented audit Mark Zuckerberg promised Congress during Cambridge Analytica scandal. /1

Pop some corn or make some coffee if you're awake. The Judge in the case ordered some items unsealed by midnight Friday night. Again, they're trying to settle but Facebook's law firm is also going through sanctions for discovery abuse so Court is ordering stuff unsealed. /2

Reminder, here is what Zuckerberg promised Congress. They have attempted to keep even the names of the two consultants sealed for years but failed because they promised the public they would do the audit to keep us safe. Not just for legal reasons. /3

Read 17 tweets

Jason Kint

@jason_kint

Jan 24

ok, let's do this. I've now read all 153 pages of United States vs Google filed earlier today. As I've said earlier, Google is royally screwed.

The suit is super well-written building on prior work investigating Google’s market power abuse leveraging advertising technologies. /1

Much of the suit is indeed anchored around Google's maintenance of 20% revenue share from its ad exchange. And it smartly describes Google's scale across three dimensions: publishers, ad impressions and importantly, data. /2

On the data point, which anyone who follows me knows I heavily lean into the intersection of data protection and antitrust. The third dimension includes targeting data which no doubt has informed Google's approach to privacy rules - or the lack of them. /3

Read 25 tweets

Jason Kint

@jason_kint

Jan 24

The United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division is locked in on Google. The press conference could not have been tighter. Starting at the very top. This is a very big deal. /1