Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) is not comfortable with the way Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) is now handling the issue of SOPA legislation, which means Stop Online Piracy Act. The company is particularly worried about the revival of SOPA, yet the same was defeated three years ago. It appears to Google as though there is malice in the whole MPPA affair with SOPA.
Mississippi attorney general tapped for SOPA
In a post on its public policy blog, Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) expressed its deep concern about the recent developments regarding SOPA. The company detailed how MPAA has resorted to other means to reactivate SOPA campaign, especially against it as the giant online search engine. According to Google, this time around MPAA has tapped the Mississippi State Attorney General, Jim Hood, to help push its SOPA agenda. In the post, the company goes as far as recalling how three years ago MPAA failed miserable when millions of Americas stood up against its Internet censorship motive.
In the latest case, Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) said it received a subpoena from Hood. However, it appeared as though Hood tried to act in a manner that suggests the letter was not discussed with MPAA before it was sent to Google. Hood’s letter raised widespread accusations against the company. Nonetheless, Google claims that there is strong indication that MPAA was behind the whole matter in an effort to revive SOPA, which is feared could have untold consensuses on Google and other Internet companies.
Campaign budget
According to Google, MPAA has assembled a campaign machine to push forward SOPA legislation. It is reported that MPAA sought about $1.175 million to fund the campaign. Movie studios are also part of the SOPA support, and they have reportedly budgeted $500,000 per year for the legal support of SOPA.
Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) has long maintained that its operations are in compliance with the law and the push for SOPA is unwarranted. According to a report by The New York Times report, Google has reportedly spent more than $250 million over the last three years towards policy enforcement. The budget has helped it to remove objectionable content from its index. The company also conceded that it was not possible to remove everything that prosecutors have sought. Nonetheless, it believes that it is already doing enough to clean up its act.
With the revival of SOPA, it will be interesting to see how Google fights for its skin because such legislation put its profits at stake.
