Has Google become so big that it is taking on the US government? Google now allows users to talk in its public policy blog which focuses on U.S. government legislations, regulations and politics. The blog is named as “googlepublicpolicy” and it is part of the company’s efforts to step up its focus on the US government’s affairs since early 2005.

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Numerous efforts have been put in by Google to send signals to the US government on industry affairs. For instance, last year Google was amongst several companies who called on the Congress to pass net neutrality rules that would prohibit broadband carriers from blocking or slowing Web content offered by their competitors. Google extends its effort this year by joining a debate on how the U.S. Federal Communications Commission should auction off 60MHz of spectrum in the 700MHz band being vacated by U.S. television stations. Google has called on the FCC to open up bidding to small companies through real-time auctions and designate a chunk of the spectrum for wireless broadband services. Recently Google had also complained to the U.S. Department of Justice about what it saw as antitrust violations in Microsoft Corp.’s Vista operating system.

Google’s efforts in doing public policy advocacy should be supported as this helps to improve the industry’s operation as well as the policy positions and advocacy strategies. With input from users, it will definitely strengthen Google’s position to fight for users’ common interests.