Google steps up public policy push

USA - New blog seeks to advance legal and social agenda.

Google has given a mouthpiece to its public policy efforts with the launch of a company blog. 

The company hopes that the Google Public Policy Blog will help to further the firm's efforts in areas such as net neutrality and censorship. 

"We are seeking to do public policy advocacy in a Google way," Andrew McLaughlin, director of public policy and government affairs at Google, wrote in an entry officially launching the blog.

"We want our users to be part of the effort, to know what we are saying and why, and to help us refine and improve our policy positions and advocacy strategies."

Google hopes that the blog will reach some of the key decision makers in public policy, such as legislators and government regulators.

The launch of the blog is not the first time that Google's public policy has been in the public eye.

The company has been a player in debates over a number "hot-button issues". Its views on censorship in China, net neutrality and government regulation have all fallen under media and government scrutiny. 

At the same time, blogs have become a favourite public relations tool for Google. The company now has at least 59 blogs, including official Google and AdWords blogs available in more than six languages.

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