Microsoft says Google is running 'shadow campaigns' in Europe to influence regulators

Microsoft took the unusual step Monday of publicly accusing longtime rival Google of running "shadow campaigns" in Europe designed to discredit the software giant with regulators.

Microsoft lawyer Rima Alaily wrote in a blog post that Google hired a firm to recruit European cloud companies to represent the search company's case.

"This week an astroturf group organized by Google is launching," Microsoft lawyer Rima Alaily wrote. "It is designed to discredit Microsoft with competition authorities, and policymakers and mislead the public. Google has gone through great lengths to obfuscate its involvement, funding, and control, most notably by recruiting a handful of European cloud providers, to serve as the public face of the new organization."

The conflict represents a fresh fight between two companies that do battle in cloud infrastructure as well as online advertising and productivity software.

Google faces heightened regulatory pressure in Europe and in the U.S., where it's in the midst of its second antitrust trial in a case brought by the Justice Department.

Alaily suggested in Monday's post that Google hired advisory firm DGA Group to set up the Open Cloud Coalition. One company that opted not to participate in the group told Microsoft that the coalition would receive financial backing from Google and criticize Microsoft's practices in Europe, Alaily wrote.

Alaily linked to a flyer for the Open Cloud Coalition. The overview in the attached document says the consortium was "being formed to advocate for a fair, competitive and open cloud services industry across the UK and EU."

DGA Group representatives didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

"We've been very public about our concerns with Microsoft's cloud