EXCLUSIVE: Microsoft is funding a lobby group in Australia with political know-how to raise questions about the “fairness” of Google’s
monopoly of the local search market.
The software giant has recently appointed Canberra-based Ogilvy public affairs agency Parker & Partners to act as secretariat for ICOMP (Initiative for a Competitive Online Marketplace), a body Microsoft funds in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Japan and India.
ICOMP spokesperson Louise O’Donnell is a former chief of staff to Green’s ACT leader Meredith Hunter.
ICOMP wants the Australian media to question search “fairness”. The appointment comes as Bing prepares to launch a national advertising campaign to drive search queries.
O’Donnell said Microsoft’s ICOMP sponsorship and its lobbying of regulators in Europe was transparent and aimed at giving voice to the many online stakeholders who feel disenfranchised by Google, not about raising Bing’s share.
“ICOMP promotes healthy competition in online advertising and believes regulators should carefully scrutinise any transactions in the online advertising sector that would create or enhance a dominant market position, significantly reduce existing or future competition, or leave advertisers, online publishers or consumers with less choice,” she said.
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