Microsoft, Amazon Lobbying Spending Dips in Q4 as Uber Increases Outlays

Microsoft spent $2.4 million on Q4 lobbying, about 2.8 percent less than the same period in 2015, on issues including broadband spectrum, child and student privacy, copyright and patent changes, cybersecurity, data breach notification, encryption, internet governance and trade agreements, said the company's filing that was due Monday. Like other tech companies (see 1701230044), Microsoft has been a strong backer of updating the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (see 1701090017), supporting the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield and limiting government surveillance and access to Americans' information. In other filings it was revealed that Amazon spent $2.66 million in Q4, a 11 percent dip. Lobbying on many of the same issues as Microsoft, Amazon, which is developing fleets of drones to deliver packages, also focused on unmanned aircraft-related policies and legislation (see 1610130040) and the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority transition. Yahoo spent $560,000 on lobbying, 19 percent less. The company, which last year divulged two major data breaches that occurred in 2013 and 2014 involving about 1.5 billion records, lobbied on data breach notification legislation and other related matters. Yahoo is in the process of being acquired by Verizon, which is reconsidering the deal in light of the breaches. In an SEC 8-K filing Monday, Yahoo said it's continuing to work with Verizon on integration planning but the transaction is now expected to close Q2 rather than the current quarter. "The company is working expeditiously to close the transaction as soon as practicable in Q2," said the filing. Cisco spent $460,000 in Q4, a 34 percent drop, on many similar tech industry issues. Uber spent $390,000, up 179 percent. Among its issues, the ride-hailing company lobbied on "possible anti-competitive activities that could limit consumers' access to app-based technologies," development of app-based tech related to self-driving cars and expanded consumer choice.