The biggest names in tech, including Google, Amazon, and Apple, spent more this quarter attempting to influence the U.S. government than ever before, according to public lobbying records.
The tech giants spent more than $15 million lobbying between April 1 and June 30, with Google topping the list at $5.93 million. As the Washington Post points out, that is more than 40 percent higher than previous quarters. The increase in spending can be attributed to a number of policies administered by President Donald Trump that conflict with the interests of Silicon Valley firms.
Google lobbied both Congress and the White House for “legislative responses” to the president’s travel ban, immigration, STEM innovation, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) privacy regulations, working with small businesses, and freedom of expression. It also wants to influence guidelines for autonomous vehicle technology, which the Trump administration is reportedly revising.
Amazon came in second, spending $3.21 million on its lobbying efforts. Along with Congress and the White House, Amazon also lobbied NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the Department of Transportation (DOT), among others. It lobbied for issues related to Wi-Fi and device accessibility, copyright reform, renewable energy tax reform, drones, cybersecurity, and immigration.
Apple also shelled out a bunch of money to influence the government’s decisions. It put up $2.2 million, an almost 80 percent increase from last year, to lobby the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives about issues like regulating online advertisements, cybersecurity, education, renewable resources, healthcare, and education.
Facebook spent a bit more than Apple at $2.38 million to lobby on issues like terrorism, net neutrality, and online privacy, while Microsoft also spent more than $2 million to lobby for cybsecurity, the Paris climate agreement, and immigration reform.
The lobbying records show that tech companies aren’t giving up despite their recent failure to influence Trump on issues including climate change and immigration. Conflicts between Silicon Valley and D.C. reached a boiling point after the president pulled the United States out of the Paris climate agreement earlier this year. Even Apple CEO Tim Cook and Tesla’s Elon Musk—two of the most well-regarded tech CEOs—were unable to influence Trump’s controversial decision.
The policies the White House makes this year regarding autonomous vehicles, cybersecurity, and STEM education, will determine whether tech’s biggest players are making inroads with the government or throwing away millions of dollars.
H/T Recode