Google, as well as some of the other major tech companies, spend millions each year lobbying the government in Washington, on various subjects. Whether that be to influence the government and keep new regulations from going into law, or anything else. Companies spend a ton of money each year, and 2017 was a record year. Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and Google spent over $50 million combined, but $18 million of that was Google alone. All five companies spent record cash, though. Making it an expensive year for these companies, and a good year for the lobbyists.
According to ethics forms that were filed at midnight last night, Amazon spent $12.8 million in 2017. Amazon had been lobbying the government for friendlier federal rules for just about everything. Including online sales tax, cloud computing and even package-delivering drones. Something that Amazon has been looking to get off the ground for quite some time. It also spent a good amount to get its acquisition of Whole Foods through regulators last year. Now Facebook spent a record $11.5 million in 2017, and that was mostly due to the fallout of the 2016 election. Apple spent $7 million, which is also a record for the Cupertino-based company. Apple was pressing Washington on issues including encryption and immigration. It also advocated for the new tax law that the Trump Administration signed into law in late 2017. Which is actually something that most of the tech industry advocated for in 2017, as it allows them to pay less in taxes, and bring overseas money back to the US.
While 2017 was a record year for the biggest tech companies, in Washington, 2018 is likely going to be another record year for each company. This will be for different reasons, mostly. But there is one subject that all of these tech companies feel strongly about and could affect their employees and bottom line. And that is DACA. Which is Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. It’s something that the Obama Administration put into law a few years ago, but it is up for renewal again with the Trump Administration. These tech companies have a ton of employees that came to the US as kids, and have protection under DACA. So it’s going to be a big subject for all of them, as we approach the DACA deadline in March.