FairSearch

{{Short description|Group of organizations}}

{{Infobox company

| name = FairSearch

| logo = FairSearch.svg

| logo_size = 125

| website = {{URL|https://fairsearch.org/}}

| type = Political advocacy group

| founded = October 2010

| area_served = Worldwide

| founder =

}}

FairSearch is a group of organizations that lobby against Google's market dominance in online search and related practices. The group is controlled by Oracle and Naspers executives{{Cite news|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/oracle-naspers-fairsearch-google-lobbying-europe-antitrust-android-competition-margrethe-vestager/|title=Oracle and Naspers' stealth lobbying fight against Google|date=2018-02-16|work=POLITICO|access-date=2018-02-19|language=en-US}} and has been characterized as a consumer protection organization,{{cite news|last1=Sherman|first1=Chris|title=Do The Majority Of Americans Think Google Is Unfair?|url=http://searchengineland.com/deconstructing-fairsearch-orgs-google-antitrust-consumer-survey-93789|accessdate=30 December 2014|date=September 21, 2011}} a Google watchdog,{{cite news|last1=Savov|first1=Vlad|title=What is FairSearch and why does it hate Google so much?|url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/4/12/4216026/who-is-fairsearch|accessdate=30 December 2014|date=April 12, 2013}} as well as a front group for Microsoft.{{cite news|last1=Keizer|first1=Gregg|title=Microsoft not fooling anyone by using FairSearch front in antitrust complaint against Google|url=http://www.computerworld.com/article/2496436/technology-law-regulation/microsoft-not-fooling-anyone-by-using-fairsearch-front-in-antitrust-compla.html|accessdate=30 December 2014|date=Apr 9, 2013}} Many of its other members are also Google competitors, such as Expedia and Oracle.{{cite web | title=Former Attorney General Lynch Calling for Google Investigation | website=The New York Times | date=December 17, 2014 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/12/17/technology/document-former-attorney-general-lynch-google-investigation.html | accessdate=July 25, 2015}}

Established in October 2010,{{cite news|last1=Carlos Perez|first1=Juan|title=Google probed by industry pressure group FairSearch.org|url=http://news.techworld.com/sme/3310291/google-probed-by-industry-pressure-group-fairsearchorg/|accessdate=30 December 2014|date=12 October 2011}} FairSearch was formed as an international non-profit association incorporated under Belgian Law by travel verticals and online travel agencies to oppose Google's acquisition of travel software firm ITA{{cite news|last1=WASSERMAN|first1=ELIZABETH|title=DOJ threatens to nix Google merger|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/50147.html|accessdate=30 December 2014|date=24 February 2011}} followed by Microsoft in December that same year.{{cite news|last1=Sterling|first1=Greg|title=Microsoft Joins FairSearch Group Opposing Google-ITA Acquisition|url=http://searchengineland.com/microsoft-joins-group-opposing-google-ita-acquisition-58777|accessdate=30 December 2014|date=December 15, 2010}} In September 2012 Oracle and Nokia joined{{cite news|last1=Sasso|first1=Brendan|title=Oracle and Nokia join anti-Google lobbying group|url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/125854-oracle-and-nokia-join-anti-google-lobbying-group/|access-date=30 December 2014|date=19 September 2012}} in filing a complaint regarding Android with the European Commission, alleging that its free-of-charge distribution model constituted anti-competitive predatory pricing.{{Citation needed|date=July 2015}}

From at least 2011 to at least 2014, former Attorney General of Rhode Island Patrick Lynch was working with the Digital Citizens Alliance, sending messages to US attorneys and encouraging them to investigate Google.{{cite web|title=Former Attorney General Lynch anti google emails|url=https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1382033-formerag-lynch-anti-google-emails.html|website=nytimes.com/|accessdate=28 December 2014}}

FairSearch hired Thomas Vinje, a top antitrust lawyer from Clifford Chance, as well as the PR firms Burson Marsteller and FIPRA International, to lobby lawmakers and journalists. In the EU transparency register, Burson Marsteller acknowledges having received up to €199,999 from FairSearch in 2016, and FIPRA International €49,999. Elizabeth De Bony, Director at Burson-Marsteller acts as executive director of FairSearch.{{cite web|title=EU Transparency Register|url=https://ec.europa.eu/transparencyregister/public/consultation/displaylobbyist.do?id=329146212053-87/|accessdate=7 December 2021}} However, the latter's filings with Belgian authorities stated in 2017 it received no money or membership fees since its creation in 2013. "The origin of the money to pay these outside advisers remains unknown.”{{cite web|title=Oracle and Naspers' stealth lobbying fight against Google|url=https://www.https://www.politico.eu/article/oracle-naspers-fairsearch-google-lobbying-europe-antitrust-android-competition-margrethe-vestager/|accessdate=7 December 2021|archive-date=19 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130819141428/http://https/|url-status=dead}}

In December 2016, Microsoft quietly removed its financial support from FairSearch.{{cite web|title=Microsoft quietly retreats from FairSearch-watchdog behind google|date=22 January 2016 |url=https://www.vox.com/2016/1/22/11588992/microsoft-quietly-retreats-from-fairsearch-watchdog-behind-google/|accessdate=7 December 2021}}