Google hiring 12 lobbying firms as FTC readies antitrust probe

Google will hire a dozen new lobbying firms in a sign the search giant is taking the Federal Trade Commission’s upcoming antitrust investigation seriously.

“We have a strong story to tell about our business and we've sought out the best talent we can find to help tell it,” said a Google spokesperson. Google has been under intense scrutiny from Congress since last year due to a host of privacy and other concerns, prompted in part by the Street View WiFi spying incident, in which Google vehicles collected personal information through unencrypted wireless networks. The firm is also frequently mentioned during the ongoing legislative debate over online privacy and behavioral advertising, due to Google’s huge online ad business. The firms in question are Akin, Gump; Bingham; Capitol Legislative Strategies; Chesapeake Group; Crossroads Strategies; Gephardt Group; Holland & Knight; Normandy Group; Prime Policy; The First Group; The Madison Group; and the Raben Group. Most of the firms have yet to register on behalf of Google, but will do so in the coming days.