Google general counsel Andrew Mclaughlin in a Light Reading story about the FCC forgot a four letter word called “tact.”
“The FCC sucks,” Mclaughlin says. “Why would you want the FCC to get involved in anything? Its track record is pretty bad when it comes to processes and outcomes.”
I understand, where he is coming from… after all, I am the first one to beat up on the FCC. But then I don’t represent a mega-billion corporation. Strong words are no way to make friends at FCC, and state your case.
Imagine someone from SBC saying FCC Sucks. It would really snow in San Antonio, Texas.
Considering Google put out sensitive financial information for the whole world to see, this is not too bad. 😀
Perhaps SBC honestly tells the FCC it sucks considering all mega-telcos bankroll those who appoint the FCC in the first place. Remember that nine-letter word corruption?
Looks like Google just filed their 10-K. Mr WaveTheory posted his analysis of the trends cited in the 10k in this posting … Google filed their 10-K. Very insightful.
SBC knows full well that the FCC sucks, that’s why they spend so much money to own the FCC.
Google’s problem is that while they can identify the problem, what they really want for themselves is to be in SBC’s position.
Google: We’re the same ole devil, but with a new name.
Hi, this is Andrew McLaughlin. I know you’re going to find this shocking — journalists always report things accurately, after all — but I didn’t say that the FCC sucks. Rather, the opposite. What I did at the VON panel was list the 5 top arguments of libertarian opponents of Net Neutrality. Number 5 on that list: The FCC sucks, and can’t be trusted to regulate in a lighthanded way. Note: Not my argument. Rather, that’s the other side’s argument, and the one that has to be addressed by proponents of Net Neutrality (like me!). I even later joked about the inevitability of being misquoted. And yes, sure enough.
Someone who saw the panel compared this bit of journalism to the story about the guy who is getting beat up by the goon squad for being a Communist. He says, “But I’m not a Communist, I’m an Anti-Communist.” The head goon says, “I don’t care what kind of Communist you are,” as they continue the beating.
–andrew
That the FCC sucks is the key reason we need Net Neutrality. If it remains a judgement call issue like it is now, the FCC will get it wrong.
Hello there andrew and everyone else who said the fcc sucks because they do suck and kevin martin is a coward i wrote him 3 times and he well not get back to me to defend his fines against CBS. anyway i truly do think the fcc are a bunch of bullys and also they well not fine actors and actress because they know hollywood would put them out of order from me Brandon davenport
I just happened upon this. It’s a bad memory. Just to set the record straight, the editors at Light Reading took Andrew’s quote from its original context in my story and made it the headline. They knew they were conveying a message that was false, and they did it anyway. It was a naked attempt at getting clicks for the fledgling site. So there you go — four years later, there’s my side of the story.