Tech Industry Q4 Lobby Spending at 5-Year High
Lawmakers’ focus on extremist online content and sex-trafficking legislation were major lobbying issues for tech companies in Q4, in addition to net neutrality, cybersecurity and renewal of Section 702 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act authority (see 1801190062 and 1801220057). Amazon, Facebook and Google spent more than in the past Q4s, collectively over $10.5 million. Twitter reported slightly less spending than the previous year, $140,000, down from 2016's $170,000, but still more than double the $50,000 in 2013. Entities lobbying Capitol Hill and federal agencies on broadband infrastructure issues more than doubled in Q4 from the year-before quarter (see 1801230068).
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“The fourth quarter tends to be busiest for lobbying activity when Congress starts rejecting or accepting legislative proposals,” said Craig Holman, Public Citizen government affairs lobbyist. The surge in tech industry spending continues a trend that’s likely to remain given the intense focus on platform and social media companies, he said. “The cybersecurity scandals and Russian meddling in our elections” are “front-burner” issues that put Congress on high alert, he said. Either companies find a way to solve the problems, or Congress will start regulating, he said: “A good time for them to be lobbying,”
An example is the grilling Facebook, Google and Twitter and faced during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in October about their role in allowing foreign interference in U.S. elections (see 1710310061), where executives said they were cooperating with ongoing investigations. But the issue may continue as a lobbying concern in 2018, as evidenced by a letter that Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., sent Tuesday to Facebook and Twitter CEOs asking for an “in-depth forensic examination” of Russian bots and trolls aimed at manipulating public opinion. Those two companies didn't comment.
Facebook didn’t identify election interference as a lobbying issue in Q4 but cited work on platform integrity, terrorism, internet privacy, security, online advertising, content and platform transparency. Other issues included bills in the House and Senate to curb online sex trafficking, net neutrality, competition, and data breach notification legislation. Facebook's spending was $3 million, up from $1.7 million in Q4 2016; $2.1 million in Q4 15; $1.9 million in Q4 14 and $1.4 million in Q4 13. Google's spending was $4.2 million, up from $3.6 million in Q4 16; $3.2 million in Q4 15; $3.7 million in Q4 14 and $3.9 million in Q4 2013. Amazon's was $3.3 million, up from $2.7 million in Q4 16; $2.9 million in Q4 15; $1.6 million in Q4 14 and $960,000 in Q4 13.
Microsoft posted a slight decrease, $2.2 million v. 2016's $2.4 million. Q4 spending was $2.5 million in 2015; $2.2 million in 2014 and $2.8 million in 2013. Issues the company tracked in Q4 2017 included protection of critical infrastructure and cybersecurity; software licensing; health IT; competitiveness and the high-tech sector; cloud computing; the Email Privacy Act (HR-387); government modernization and supply chain; government surveillance legislation and FISA reform; the EU US Privacy Shield agreement; Privacy and Civil Liberty Review Board; data breach legislation; extremist online content; children’s online safety and encryption.
Intel's spending declined slightly to $915,000 from $1 million. Previous Q4 reports showed $1 million in 2015; $980,000 in 2014 and $1.4 million in 2013. In Q4 17, Intel highlights included the Information Technology Agreement; encryption and customs/trade facilitation; Word Trade Organization-trade facilitation agreement; autonomous vehicles; IoT; spectrum; patent changes; and antitrust.
Oracle spending increased to $2.5 million from $2 million. Previous Q4 filings showed $2 million in 2015; $1.7 million in 14 and $1.6 million in 13. Oracle's chief recent issues included cyber and software vulnerabilities; online sex-trafficking legislation; patent and intellectual property; and copyright policy at the Library of Congress and Copyright Office.
Apple also posted a gain, reporting $1.6 million compared with 2016's $1.3 million in the same quarter; $1.07 million in 2015; $1.2 million in 2014 and $999,000 in 2013. Top issues included net neutrality; video programming; spectrum allocations; patents, copyright issues, music licensing, corporate and digital goods tax, student privacy, video programming, spectrum reallocation, net neutrality, and technology mandates regarding handset designs.