A new blog offers a glimpse into the thoughts of attorneys at one of Silicon Valley’s most influential companies. Google’s new public policy blog made its public debut June 18, though contributors have been internally posting to it since April.
The googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com site broadcasts the company’s opinions on a variety of issues, including privacy, so-called "net neutrality," H-1B visas, patent reform and copyright protection — all subjects in which Google has found itself tangled in recent years.
"We’re seeking to do public policy advocacy in a Googley way," Andrew McLaughlin, the company’s director of public policy and government affairs, wrote in the first public posting. "Yes, we’re a multinational corporation that argues for our positions before officials, legislators, and opinion leaders. At the same time, we want our users to be part of the effort."
The blog also offers a chance to hear from some of the legal muscle behind the company.
Unfortunately, there’s not much in the way of juicy, behind-the-scenes gossip. It’s pretty serious stuff.