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With Amazon reaching a company record this past quarter. But Google still spent the most.

Tech companies are spending more on lobbying in Washington

[Photo: Jorge Vasconez/Unsplash]

BY Michael Grothaus

Most tech giants spent an increasingly large amount of cash this quarter versus previous quarters lobbying U.S. officials on their various interests. Amazon, Google, and Twitter all saw their lobbying expenditures increase in the most recent quarter that just ended last month, Bloomberg reports. Among the major tech and communication companies that have reported their most recent lobbying expenses:

  • Amazon spent $3.63 million – a company record
  • Google spent $5.46 million – up 30% YOY
  • Facebook spent $2.82 million – down $300,000
  • Twitter spent $310,000 – up almost threefold
  • Microsoft spent $2.24 million
  • Oracle spent $1.44 million
  • IBM spent $900,000
  • AT&T spent $3.85 million
  • Comcast spent $3.43 million
  • Charter Communications spent $2.27 million
  • Verizon spent just over $2.33 million

Amazon’s increased spending on lobbying can be attributed in part to the company trying to secure a $10 billion cloud-computing contract with the Pentagon. Google, Facebook, and Twitter meanwhile had to deal with increasing pressure from lawmakers about reining in election meddling on their platforms.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael Grothaus is a novelist and author. He has written for Fast Company since 2013, where he's interviewed some of the tech industry’s most prominent leaders and writes about everything from Apple and artificial intelligence to the effects of technology on individuals and society. More


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