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America’s tech giants rained down Washington In 2021, both Facebook and Amazon Record-high spending amid the threat of a new technology push.
Facebook, rebranded as Meta, spent more than $20 million in 2021 on lobbying, up from $19.68 million in 2020, according to the most recent statement. sent last week.
According to the US Senate, Meta spent $5.42 million on lobbying in the last quarter of 2021, compared to any quarter of the previous decade. database Lobbying Disclosure Act reports. Meta’s statement shows that he has lobbied several federal agencies and Congress on issues including technology competition and cybersecurity, taxation, China, electoral integrity and much more.
Meta’s increased lobbying spending comes as the social media giant faces new scrutiny from the Biden administration and Congress. The Federal Trade Commission is suing Facebook over antitrust concerns, and Congress is discussing a series of proposals involving speech and censorship that could change people’s experience on Meta platforms.
The Senate is also considering new antitrust legislation focused on preventing big tech companies from favoring their own products at the expense of their competitors. Apple and Google opposed the law, which would change the law. Amazonjob too.
Amazon it also spent more in the last year and in the last quarter than in any year or quarter of the last decade. Amazon According to lobbying activities, it spent more than $19.3 million on lobbying last year, with $4.92 million in the last quarter of the year. descriptions. in 2020 Amazon spent $17.86 million on lobbying activities.
like Facebook, Amazon lobbied on a wide variety of topics including technology, taxation, China and more.
Google spent more money on lobbying in 2021 than the previous year, but in the first year of the Trump administration it spent almost twice as much as President Biden did in his first year in office.
according to that descriptionsGoogle said it spent $9.6 million on lobbying in 2021 compared to $7.53 million in 2020. But in 2017, the company spent just over $18 million on lobbying.
Microsoft spent more on lobbying than Google last year, and it hasn’t faced the wrath of lawmakers like Facebook, who scrutinize the tech giants. Amazon, Google or Apple. Microsoft spent $10.16 million on lobbying last year, up from about $9.4 million in 2020. descriptions.
Last week, Microsoft announced that it plans to buy game developer Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion. Colorado Republican Representative Ken Buck, who has partnered with Democrats on antitrust legislation, told the Washington Post that he was encouraged by Microsoft’s assurances of competitiveness as a result of the planned acquisition.
Apple spent much less on lobbying than other big tech companies Washington, but still working hard to influence laws that could change his business. Apple spent $6.5 million on lobbying last year. disclosure.
The company’s lobbying may change as the Senate debates new antitrust legislation that directly impacts Apple’s business.
Last week, Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz said he spent 40 minutes on the phone with Apple CEO Tim Cook, the day before the judiciary committee reviewed antitrust legislation involving tech companies’ own choices.
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