Internet Association, the lobbying group that represented big tech companies, is no more. In a post published by the Association, it was announced that at the end of this year, the Association will be closed.
The reason behind this step is the lack of funding. Microsoft and Uber left the Association in the previous month. They were the major contributors to the Association. The reason was also the difference of interests among the different tech companies, horizontally and vertically. The big tech companies such as Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft and Apple have very different views on how their future would be. Similarly smaller tech companies view their tomorrow in a totally different way as compared to tech giants.
Internet Association was formed 9 years ago in 2012. Based in Washington, the Association presented it’s views on a range of topics from Intellectual Property Rights to Shared Economy to Global Internet Governance to Net Neutrality.
It could have significant implications for the industry. The Internet Association has been a powerful voice in advocating for policies that support innovation and growth in the tech sector, so its absence could leave a void in terms of industry representation and policy influence. It remains to be seen how this development will impact the future of the tech industry and the regulatory landscape.