The Internet Society is an industry association that handles public policy matters on behalf of the world’s leading Internet companies. The members of the Internet Society include Google, Amazon, Facebook, and other companies.
Last night, Axios reported that Microsoft will leave the Internet Association (IA). In addition to Microsoft, Uber will also leave the association. A Microsoft spokesperson issued the following statement on this matter.
“We advocate public policies that support our business goals. As our business needs develop, we regularly review trade association memberships to ensure consistency with our policy agenda.”
Moreover, the loss of the two main members of Microsoft and Uber was a hit to the organization. In recent years, the association’s influence in Washington, DC has been declining, partly because it is not committed to solving the competition and antitrust issues that currently trouble the industry.
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Christina Martin, senior vice president of global communications and public affairs at the Internet Society, said: “It is always regrettable to lose members, but business decisions related to time and resources should be respected.”
“For nearly ten years, Microsoft and Uber have been great supporters of the Internet Society. We fully hope that they will come back in the future,” Martin said. “IA still has nearly 40 strong members, and new members have joined, such as Discord, Notarize, and NewsBreak.”
Furthermore, the Internet Association was established in 2012 and includes members such as Google, Facebook, and Amazon. When it can challenge all its member companies with a unified voice on policy goals, it will flourish. This was in the early days of the Internet when technology was in Washington. When there is still aura, it is an easier task.
Nowadays, technology companies often have different legislative priorities due to size or other factors. This makes the work of the IA more difficult and sometimes creates conflicts among members.
