First up, Recode:
They spent a combined $48 million — up 13 percent from 2017.
Google, Amazon, and Facebook spent record amounts to influence the US government in 2018. They poured a combined $48 million into lobbying last year — up 13 percent from 2017, according to new government disclosures.And from the WaPo via the Mercury-News:
Lobbying growth among the tech giants — especially companies that leverage user data for advertising revenue — comes as they are falling under increased government scrutiny. Facebook in particular faces a record Federal Trade Commission fine over apparent violations of data privacy practices in the Cambridge Analytica scandal that was revealed last year.
These companies run the risk of antitrust regulation as well as laws that could inhibit their ability to collect data — and, by extension, revenue. Google’s, Amazon’s, and Facebook’s lobbying efforts largely go toward market and data regulation issues, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics....MORE
Google led a multimillion-dollar tech industry lobbying blitz in 2018, records show
Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Google and Microsoft spent a combined $64 million to shape U.S. regulations and stave off government scrutiny in 2018, according to ethics reports filed late Tuesday, an uptick in lobbying that reflects the industry’s souring political fortunes in Washington — and the policy battles still on the horizon.
The tech sector’s most prolific spender was Google: It shelled out more than $21 million last year to lobby Congress, the White House and key federal agencies on issues including online privacy, an analysis of the disclosure reports shows. That marks a new record for the search giant, which spent roughly $18 million in 2017 — more than any other company across all industries — to influence policymakers in the nation’s capital....MORE
