Microsoft holds “Screw Google” meetings… allegedly

Political posturing, whisper campaigns, and lobbying against competitors is hardly a new thing in big business. However, to hear about it happening in such plain terms as we are now still manages to shock. It seems Microsoft and its partners are holding what are casually known as “Screw Google” meetings in Washington, D.C.

Isn’t it always the way with technology and technology firms? One day you’re the big boy who everyone else is out to get. Then all of a sudden a young wannabe enters stage left and steals that top dog position from right underneath your nose. The former top dog who everyone once hated is Microsoft, while the new, young, fresh face is of course the now-mighty Google.

According to DailyFinance, Microsoft’s chief lobbyist in Washington D.C. is holding regular gatherings known as “Screw Google” meetings. The meetings are allegedly attended by people from Microsoft, other anti-Google companies and partners, and third parties hired to discredit Google at any opportunity.

An unnamed source said:

Microsoft is at the center of a group of companies who see Google as a threat to them in some combination of business and policy. The effort is designed to make Google look like the big high-tech bad guy here.

The meetings have taken place regularly, sometimes occurring on a weekly basis. Two of the PR firms thought to be working for Microsoft against Google, Law Media Group and the Glover Park Group, declined to talk about their work for the company and denied being involved with these meetings. But the source added:

Everybody knows Microsoft is trying to throw roadblocks at Google and knock them off their game. Microsoft is trying to harm Google in the regulatory, legal, and litigation arenas because they’re having problems with Google in the competitive marketplace.

Microsoft is supposedly trying to allay fears over its deal with Yahoo while at the same time plant the seed of doubt about anything and everything Google does. However, the article admits that Google also holds meetings discussing the strategies of Microsoft, with the two companies competing on multiple fronts and always trying to gain the advantage any way they can.

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