for Poor Neighborhoods
Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has a current market cap value of $544 billion. The entire Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Taiwan is $524 billion.
So Google is bigger than…Taiwan.
So why is the United States federal government giving monster Google so many unequal-before-the-law policy preferences – via executive branch fiat?
Everyone Loathes the Latest Obama Power Grab – Except Google, and That’s All That Matters
Google, the Barack Obama Administration – and Even More Questionable Policy
Cronyism: For the Likes of Google, It is Really, REALLY Good to be a Friend of Obama
Google Has Become One Of The Biggest Cronies Of The Obama Administration
Google’s Theme Song: Man It Feels Good to Be a Crony
And why are governments throughout the United States giving Google so much money?
10 Corporations Receiving Massive Public Subsidies From Taxpayers: “Google: $632,044,922. Besides Intel, Google is the top tech company that receives government subsidies, picking up more than $630 million from states like Oregon, North Carolina and a few others. What does a multi-billion dollar company that controls the majority of the world’s Internet need with more than $630 million in government subsidies, you ask? Well, you know, for things like property taxes and training reimbursements. What, do you all think that money just grows on trees?! Also, don’t even think about googling “Google government subsidies” because THEY WILL KNOW ABOUT IT.”
A main area for which Google gets government coin – is when Google is pretending to be an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Behold the non-free market “free market” Google Fiber.
Google: Tech Visionary – And Corporate Welfare Beneficiary
Google Fiber Wants ‘Backdoor Corporate Welfare’
Google Fiber Brought to You by Higher Taxes?
Government-Subsidized Fiber: Careful What You Wish For
Taxpayers Subsidizing Google Fiber Project
Google Takes Advantage of Taxpayer-Backed Broadband in Missouri
How Kansas City Taxpayers Support Google Fiber
Taxpayers Subsidize Google Fiber in this City with Bargain Land Leases
Not everyone falls for it.
Google Fiber, the ‘Free Market Success Story’ That Wasn’t
And despite all the government money – Google oft isn’t a very good corporate citizen. In all manner of ways.
Customers Running Out of Patience with Google Fiber Drilling Mishaps: “‘I don’t think it’s fair. I think Google has a responsibility to compensate if there are losses, that would be my position. That if there’s damage to property or possibly even to businesses – such as Swetts and others – that they should be compensated for that,’ says (Nashville, Tennessee) Metro Councilmen, Ed Kendall.”
Google’s ongoing, incessant claim – is that Google Fiber will connect the unconnected. That the poor would finally be logged on and logged in. It seems to be all these governments’ primary justification for giving so much coin to the Behemoth.
Google Fiber’s Plan to Give Free Internet to the Poor
Free Google Fiber Internet to be Offered to Poor Communities
Google to Give Free Fiber Internet to Poor Communities
So Google Fiber will close the Digital Divide, right? Not so much.
Google’s Effort to Bridge Digital Divide Comes Up Short
The Truth About Google Fiber and the Digital Divide in Kansas City
Google Fiber Splits Along Kansas City’s Digital Divide
In fact, Google is making things worse.
Google Fiber Build Exacerbates Digital Divide: “Google Fiber…may fuel a digital divide by only upgrading select residents in certain cities. That said, the article claims that Google Fiber’s ability to deploy fiber to just select locations helped save them 20% over traditional builds like Verizon’s FiOS.”
Get that? Google gets millions of dollars from governments – for a Fiber plan that intentionally skips out on poor neighborhoods. To save a buck.
Exacerbating the digital divide. By taking government money intended to bridge it – and then not bridging it.
In case it hasn’t occurred to Google (and believe me, it has) – this is exactly why there is a digital divide. Because it costs more to connect neighborhoods who can’t afford the service you’re building out. Companies like Verizon – who build out to them – certainly know this.
Google bragging that it saved coin by skipping the poorest – ain’t exactly optimal.
Google skipping the poorest – after taking millions in government coin intended to connect the poorest – ain’t anything but obnoxious.
This first appeared in Red State.