In a recent development within the tech industry, Microsoft has accused Google of orchestrating “dishonest” shadow campaigns aimed at redirecting antitrust scrutiny away from itself and onto Microsoft. Microsoft, through its legal advisor Rima Alaily, claims that Google has been funding astroturf groups to produce allegedly biased studies targeting Microsoft.
According to allegations highlighted in a Microsoft blog, one such group, the Open Cloud Coalition, is set to be unveiled, purportedly led by European cloud providers. However, these companies are allegedly being used as a facade, with Google providing financial incentives to disguise its involvement. Microsoft contends that these actions form part of a broader pattern to confuse antitrust enforcers.
The Open Cloud Coalition is not the first group implicated in these allegations. The astroturfing practices extend to the Coalition for Fair Software Licensing (CFSL) in the US, UK, and the EU, where the group has purportedly criticized Microsoft’s cloud services while allegedly receiving covert backing from Google. Ryan Triplette, leading the CFSL, has connections to Google as a former lobbyist at Franklin Square Group, which previously represented Google, as reported by Politico.
While neither CFSL nor Google immediately commented on these allegations, Google has stated it has been a “public supporter” of CFSL for years. Google’s spokesperson expressed skepticism about Microsoft’s claims, questioning the evidence of its primary funding role and noting that industry professionals often have past ties with major tech firms like Google.
These accusations arise amid intense scrutiny from regulatory authorities on major tech firms over antitrust and competitive practices, further intensifying the rivalry between these tech giants.