Google emails with U.S. trade reps reveal cozy ties as tech giant pushed to 'hijack policy' | 14 Oct 2024 | Newly uncovered emails reveal how Google and Amazon used their access to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative as they sought to undermine overseas regulations -- including efforts to protect traditional media outlets. In May 2023, Google tried enlist the USTR in its fight to defeat or at least water down Canada's Online News Act, which took effect last December. The law requires Google and Facebook parent Meta to pay publishers for the right to display their content online... That month, Google's head of trade policy Nicholas Bramble emailed three USTR staffers -- senior director for services and digital trade Andrea Boron, deputy assistant trade representative Robb Tanner and director for Canada Randall Oliver -- to request a meeting on "upcoming developments on Canada." The USTR granted the request for a meeting, which took place just four business days later, the emails show. On June 5, the USTR's Boron thanked the Google staffers for their time and asked them to share "Google's public comments" detailing objections and concerns about the Online News Act.