Newsletter
European regulators have been on Google’s backs after accusing the company of abusing its power in web search. As we all know Google is the top dog when it comes to searching for anything on the web. We also know that they use that tool in just about every bit of technology that they develop. In retaliation to the antitrust officials of Europe, Google has hired on Caroline Atkinson who was a former senior advisor to the Obama administration. While working under Obama, Atkinson was the Deputy national security advisor. When Group 8 and Group 20 summit meetings would come around, Atkinson served as Obama’s representative. Before Atkinson became an advisor of Obama, she began her career as a journalist and was also a official at the International Monetary.
With so much international experience, Google figured that it would only be right to have Caroline Atkinson as their leader in their global public policy. Through the years of Google’s growth, competition and privacy have become great concerns to the company and also many other Silicon Valley businesses. By hiring former government officials, Google can diminish those concerns and paint a better image of their company. Google isn’t the only company that has hired on a former government official. If we look back in time, David Plouffe who was a former advisor, joined Uber in 2014. Former press secretary Jay Carney became an employee of Amazon last year. These silicon valley companies have made such a huge impact on the world that they need people with governmental expertise to keep them out of hot water.
Caroline Atkinson will do a great job leading Google’s Public Policy. Ms. Atkinson will be replacing Rachel Whetstone who left for a job at Uber. Google has high respect for Atkinson and Kent Walker of Google’s general counsel said that they are thrilled to have her part of the team. Hopefully Atkinson can bring peace between Google and the Antitrust officials in Europe. With Google being such a large company, it creates a target for others to shoot at. Since Atkinson has been with the Obama administration since 2011, there should be no doubt that she won’t be able to get things under control.