LOS ANGELES—An interesting item on TorrentFreak details a rift in what Google apparently hoped was an improvement in the relationship between it and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) over its efforts to combat digital piracy. It didn't quite work out the way they wanted, though.
The way Andy from TF explains the scenario, "After delivering a major blow to torrent sites during October, Google must've thought the MPAA would be pleased. Instead, however, the MPAA issued a 'snarky' press release. According to a leaked email, the press release so infuriated Google's top brass that the company ended cooperation with the MPAA."
In other words, the monolithic Google had its feelings hurt. Poor baby. You'd think it would have a thicker skin, but sometimes the biggest players are the most sensitive, possibly due to a guilty conscience they can't bring themselves to face.
Or maybe they're just jerks who can't admit that for years they have played a major role in the proliferation of digital piracy. Even TF admits how long it took for them to act, noting, "By most standards, this October Google really pulled out the stops. Responding to years of criticism and endless complaints that it’s one of the world’s largest facilitators of pirate content, Google came up with the goods."
They tweaked their infamous algorithms so that the rankings of what their Copyright Policy Counsel called "the most infamous sites" would rank lower. The lawyer added, “Sites with high numbers of removal notices may appear lower in search results. This ranking change helps users find legitimate, quality sources of content more easily.”
But shouldn't Google have been doing this all long? If a bad actor is finally forced to mend their ways, is a round of applause in order?
According to TF, the MPAA commented on the changes in a press release, stating in part, "Everyone shares a responsibility to help curb unlawful conduct online, and we are glad to see Google acknowledging its role in facilitating access to stolen content via search."
Sounds about right, but to the ears of Google executives those were reportedly fighting words. "In response to the snub," wrote Andy, "Google pressed the ‘ignore’ button. A top executive at Google’s policy department told the MPAA that his company would no longer 'speak or do business' with the movie group.
"In future," he added, "Google would speak with the studios directly, since 'at least three' had already informed the search engine that they 'were very happy about the new features.'"
But he also notes that underlying circumstances may have added to the MPAA's reticence in blowing kisses to Google, citing emails exchanged among MPAA execs after learning of Google's hissy-fit, suggesting "that the MPAA were trying not to affect another external matter from progressing."
One of the emails reads, in part, “We were also sensitive to the fact that Mississippi [Attorney General] Hood is expected to issue a [Civil Investigative Demand] to Google sometime this week; we did not want an unduly favorable statement by us to discourage AG Hood from moving forward."
The storm clouds will likely pass, and considering the internal MPAA emails were written in October, they may already have, but stories like this are helpful in that they provide a window into the soul of a very large corporation with a very, very fragile ego. It's to be expected. After all, corporations are only people.
