Behind Closed Doors: How Google Tried to Shield Itself from California Privacy Laws

In a striking example of corporate overreach, Google quietly orchestrated a behind-the-scenes campaign to undermine California’s Assembly Bill 566, a law designed to protect internet users’ privacy by enabling browsers to automatically block third-party data sharing. Despite the tech giant's covert efforts—mobilizing small business owners across the country through misleading emails—the bill has passed, signaling a rare victory for consumer rights in the face of powerful industry interests. When Corporate Power Silences Transparency, Who Protects the People? California residents like Navah Hopkins found themselves unwitting pawns in Google’s lobbying playbook. The company targeted small businesses with an email claiming the...