Politico reports that the Internet Assocation that represents global internet companies will be shutting down at the end of 2021. See Politico article at "The Internet Association is Shutting Down as Giants Decide to Go It Alone".
The Platform Economy Insights (PEI) provides the following context on this development:
Context – All “tech” companies are not alike. Business models are often vastly different, leading to different perspectives on public policy issues. And trade association politics is complicated and often changing. IA was created because the few Internet firms lobbying in DC saw themselves as different from software, hardware (consumer and network), telecommunications and content companies, which each had trade groups to lobby government. It’s said that “Internet Time” moves faster, so it’s not surprising that the IA folded quickly. The trade groups on the other side of those issues have shifted too, with big cable, big telecom and video industries continuing on in various forms and names. Top takeaways of the IA news: The Internet giants have problems with each other (i.e. Microsoft v Google); Facebook seems far more willing to call for major regulation than the other platforms (supporting DMA and Sec. 230 reform); The Internet giants are so big that they seem to prefer to go it alone rather than find common ground with mid-size companies; Digital work platforms may need to create a more specialized industry group, and; The big regulatory changes are coming from Europe.
See the PEI's Update on Public Policy Impacting Digital Platforms (December 16, 2021) or Platform Economy Insights.
