Internet Companies Continue to Grow Their Washington Presence
Internet companies are continuing to increase their presence in Washington, D.C and their budgets for lobbying Congress and the executive branch.
Google Inc. reported it spent $3,980,000 on lobbying during the fourth quarter, up from spending $3,370,000 in the third quarter. For all of 2013, Google Inc. spent $14,060,000 on lobbying.
Google Inc. lobbies on issues, such as, online advertising, copyright/patents, consumer protection issues & privacy, trade, homeland security, science/technology, immigration, small business, taxation, telecommunications, and others.
Other fourth quarter Internet company lobbying:
Facebook Inc. spent $1,480,000 – up slightly from $1,440,000.
Amazon spent $ 960,000 – up from $780,000.
Yahoo Inc. spent $720,000 – up from $630,000.
eBay Inc. spent $485,000 – down from $565,266.
Twitter Inc. spent $50,000 – up from $40,000.
Yelp Inc. spent $30,000 – its first report.
Computer company fourth quarter lobbying:
Microsoft spent $2,770,000 – up from $2,230,000.
Hewlett-Packard spent $1,760,000 – up from $1,557,692.*
Oracle Corporation spent $1,600,000 – up from $1,360,000.
IBM spent $1,530,000 – up from $1,180,000.
Entertainment Software Assn. spent $1,320,000 – the same as last quarter.
Apple Inc. spent $990,000 – up slightly from $970,000.*
Dell spent $600,000, the same as last quarter.
Cisco Systems Inc. spent $580,000 – down from 890,000.
*Updated with 1/22 filings from Hewlett-Packard and Apple Inc.
