lobbying
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Tesla, Uber and 26 others launch a lobbying group for electric vehicles
Every vehicle sold in the US should be electric by 2030, according to ZETA.
Report details Google's donations to climate change deniers
Google makes "substantial" political contributions to organizations and individuals that deny climate change, according to a new report from The Guardian. One such group is the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), which was The Guardian says was instrumental in convincing the Trump administration to abandon the Paris climate agreement.
Startup turns lobbying into crowdfunding campaigns
Corporate lobbyists have a lot of sway over American politics, but a startup might have a way to bring power back to everyday people: crowdfunding. CrowdLobby's recently launched platform asks people to back campaigns around community-submitted issues, with successful efforts funding an appropriate lobbyist who advocates for the cause. The general target is $50,000, or about enough to influence politics at the state level.
Michael Bloomberg will spend $500 million to close coal-fired power plants
Michael Bloomberg is pledging $500 million to close every coal-fired power plant in the US and to halt the growth of natural gas. According to The New York Times, the money will go towards a new Beyond Coal initiative. It will be spent over the next three decades, and it will fund lobbying efforts aimed at state and local government officials.
Tech companies spent more than $64 million on lobbying in 2018
The biggest companies in tech spent more money lobbying the government in 2018 than in any year previous. According to a report from Reuters, Google dropped $21.2 million on lobbying efforts in 2018, a new record for the company and the most it has spent on lobbying since 2012. Likewise, Facebook cranked up its lobbying efforts by dropping $12.62 million, the most the social network has ever spent on political influence.
Netflix joins the Motion Picture Association of America
Netflix announced today that it is joining the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), making it the first internet-based service to join the 97-year-old trade association. The move marks Netflix's intentions to be taken seriously in Hollywood circles, shifting from being just a technology service that hosts other studio's content to a full-blown production company with its own massive distribution platform.
Tech giants spent record $50 million lobbying the US in 2017
The dramatic shift in American politics during 2017 created many headaches for the tech industry -- and you'd better believe they spent plenty of money trying to cure those headaches. Recode has combed through House and Senate records to learn that Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and Microsoft spent a combined $50 million (a record amount) lobbying the US government in 2017. Outside of Microsoft, the corporate giants spent millions more fighting for and against policies -- some of which werent't even on the radar in previous years.
Net neutrality suit gains support from tech’s biggest companies
Just one day after Ajit Pai's FCC released the text of its order to gut net neutrality, a lobbying group that represents the largest tech companies in the world has decided to take legal action. The Internet Association represents companies like Amazon, Facebook, Google, Netflix, Twitter and other heavy hitters. It will join an existing lawsuit as an intervening party, which lets the group file arguments against the FCC.
The internet needs us to save net neutrality
Today, thousands of websites and organizations are showing their support for net neutrality in hopes of preserving the open internet. Consider Engadget among them. The Federal Communication Commission, as chaired by former Verizon lawyer Ajit Pai, is exploring ways to repeal the open internet rules put into effect by former chairman Tom Wheeler, and that's just not OK.
Hotels pressure the government to crack down on Airbnb
There's no doubt that the hotel industry hates Airbnb -- the home sharing service lures many would-be customers away through lower rates and the perks that come from staying in someone else's abode. So how does it fight back? By pushing the government to crack down. The New York Times has learned that the American Hotel and Lodging Association has been conducting a "multipronged, national" lobbying and research campaign to have politicians impose or toughen restrictions, selectively collect taxes and draw attention to the negative side-effects of home sharing. Reportedly, the AHLA is partly responsible for at least some of the higher-profile regulatory moves against Airbnb in the past year.
Internet giants resist the FCC's relaxed net neutrality rules
It's no secret that many people object to new FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's plans to soften net neutrality rules, but the companies affected by these plans have now had a chance to object directly to his strategy. The Internet Association lobbying group, which represents tech companies like Amazon, Facebook and Google, has privately told Pai to maintain the existing rules rather than gut them. Net neutrality "preserves the consumer experience, competition and innovation," the Association said. It also objected to Pai's plans to have the FTC enforce the rules, saying that an "expert agency" like the FCC should be responsible.
FCC Republicans promise to limit net neutrality when 'possible'
If you're worried that the US government will stomp on net neutrality the moment Trump becomes President, your concerns are well-founded. The FCC's two Republican Commissioners, Ajit Pai and Michael O'Rielly, have sent a letter to carrier lobbying groups promising to "revisit" net neutrality rules "as soon as possible" -- that is, once Chairman Tom Wheeler leaves and the right wing gets majority control of the agency. They write that the requirements for traffic fairness and transparency create "unjustified burdens" for providers, and previously said that they intended to "undo" net neutrality and other policies opposed by their party.
ICYMI: Wearable robots will walk all over you
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Today on In Case You Missed It: MIT and Stanford researchers created tiny robots that can grab onto clothes and walk on your shirt, with the goal of them one day, forming a swarm to create a temporary video screen and then marching back into a pocket, putting themselves away. Meanwhile Japanese scientists were able to create mice offspring from skin cells of adult mice. They're testing the method next with primates, so this is going to get even weirder. In TL;DR, we're rounding up some of the biggest headlines from the week and we think it's particularly interesting to note how much money technology companies now spend on lobbying in Washington, D.C. (And share it with your friend who still thinks tech and politics aren't related.) Also if you need to send that smoking Samsung video to someone stat, the original video is here. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Tech giants outspend banks in US lobbying
It won't shock you to hear that tech companies are trying to cozy up to politicians, but they may have more influence than you think. Bloomberg has determined that the five largest tech firms in the US (Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and Microsoft) spent more than twice as much on lobbying in 2015 as the five largest banks -- $49 million versus $19.7 million. Facebook and Google argue that the money is necessary to both explain their operations and defend an open internet, but there are mounting concerns that they may have too much sway.
Oracle funds a group trying to tarnish Google's image
It won't shock you to hear that Oracle is nursing a grudge after it lost its big copyright case against Google. It's pushing for a new trial, for one thing. However, the software giant is also trying to undermine its rival in roundabout ways. Oracle has confirmed to Fortune that it's funding Campaign for Accountability, a non-profit advocacy group with a decidedly anti-Google bent. While it promotes some common causes, such as fighting "big oil" and promoting LGBT rights, it also has a Google Transparency Project that aims to "track the company's influence" on government and personal lives. And not surprisingly, most of it is critical -- the project is obsessed with the possible ethical implications of Google's White House meetings.
Biggest US coal miner bankrolled anti-climate change groups
The wealthy using its money to suppress (or avenge) inconvenient truths is nothing new, even if nobody thought to use a washed-up pro wrestler for cover until now. But there are far worse things for a one-percenter to do than force Gawker into bankruptcy, such as helping to push the planet towards a preventable ecological crisis. The Guardian has found that Peabody Energy, America's biggest coal mining company, used its cash to bankroll an enormous and diverse group of pro-carbon lobby groups and scientists. The now-bankrupt firm is accused of funding what one source described as "the heart and soul of climate denial."
Senator behind biometric privacy act tries to remove its teeth
The Illinois Biometric Privacy Act became law in 2008, making it illegal in the state to capture a person's biometric identifiers -- things like fingerprints, iris scans or faceprints -- without explicit consent. This has led to three lawsuits against Facebook, Google and Snapchat, each over the companies' use of face-scanning or -tagging technology. Now, Illinois State Senator Terry Link is attempting to add language to the bill that would make these practices legal in the state, effectively ending the lawsuits, The Verge reports. Note that Link is the senator who originally introduced the Illinois Biometric Privacy Act.
Drone makers form their own political lobbying group
Big drone makers aren't satisfied with existing efforts to get in the US government's good books, apparently. DJI, 3D Robotics, GoPro and Parrot have forged the Drone Manufacturers Alliance to lobby for a "carefully balanced regulatory framework" that makes sure drones are "safely integrated" into American skies. In plainer language, they want to make sure that regulation doesn't run counter to their interests -- they don't want their business to fizzle out because of a future law.
Apple cozies up to U.S. government with increased lobbying
With personal devices getting more powerful every day and the launch of a wearable on the horizon, Apple is reportedly ramping up its presence in Washington in order to help calm any concerns. Bloomberg reports that Tim Cook's photo op with Orrin Hatch in December was just a small sample of Apple's ramped-up focus on making nice with the powers-that-be. Apple has never been a huge player in Washington, at least when compared to other large tech firms, but their efforts have been expanded a bit as of late. This is seen as a response to increased scrutiny over potential privacy issues, and Apple's hiring last year of Amber Cottle, former Democratic Staff Director on the Senate Finance Committee, seems to already be paying dividends.
Teenager builds browser plugin to show you where politicians get their funding
The murky world of lobby groups bankrolling politicians is garnering more attention, but is there a way to find out which representatives are in the pocket without a lot of tedious research? A 16-year-old programmer has developed a browser plugin that, when you mouse-over the name of a US lawmaker, will serve up a list of which parties have donated to their campaign funds, and the quantities. Greenhouse (geddit?) is currently available for Chrome, Firefox and Safari -- although our lawyers have (probably) asked us to point out that the data is from the 2012 elections, so they may not be entirely up to date.
