Four of the biggest web companies have apparently joined to form a
coalition that will represent the interests of online services in
Washington. The Washington Post reports
that Google, Facebook, Amazon, and eBay are behind “The Internet
Association,” which was announced today. Led by former Congressional
staffer Michael Beckerman, the Association will “advance public policy
solutions that strengthen and protect an open, innovative, and free
internet.” It will launch in September, and we haven’t yet seen a full
member list — an anonymous source has told the Post that the companies above are most prominent.
While no policies are listed, it’s not difficult to guess at potential issues. Google and Facebook were prominent opponents of SOPA, and Amazon and eBay have strong but conflicting opinions regarding online sales tax.
