Microsoft Calls Out Google For Running 'Shadow Campaigns' in Europe To Influence Regulators

Microsoft took the unusual step on Monday of publicly criticizing longtime rival Google for running 'shadow campaigns' in Europe designed to discredit the software giant with regulators. CNBC: Microsoft lawyer Rima Alaily wrote in a blog post that Google hired a firm to recruit European cloud companies to represent the search company's case. 'This week an astroturf group organized by Google is launching,' Microsoft lawyer Rima Alaily wrote in a blog post. 'It is designed to discredit Microsoft with competition authorities, and policymakers and mislead the public. Google has gone through great lengths to obfuscate its involvement, funding, and control, most notably by recruiting a handful of European cloud providers, to serve as the public face of the new organization.'

The conflict represents a fresh battle between two companies that do battle in cloud infrastructure as well as online advertising and productivity software. The latest chapter surfaces as Google faces heightened regulatory pressure in Europe and in the U.S., where it's in the midst of its second antitrust trial against the Justice Department. Alaily suggested in Monday's post that Google hired advisory firm DGA Group to set up the Open Cloud Coalition. One company that opted not to participate in the group told Microsoft that the coalition would receive financial backing from Google and criticize Microsoft's practices in Europe, Alaily wrote.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.