Facebook Led Q3 Tech Lobbying as Huawei, CCIA Spent More

Facebook was the top lobbying spender from tech and telecom in Q3, supplanting Amazon, the leader in recent quarters (see 2107210049). NCTA and Comcast again rounded out the top four. Most major tech and telecom companies' lobbying spending rose in Q3 compared with the same period in 2020; Huawei, the Computer & Communications Industry Association, IBM and Dell had the largest percentage increases. Apple, Broadcom and T-Mobile outlays dropped.

Huawei spent $1.37 million in Q3, more than 13 times the $100,000 it paid out in Q3 2020. This included $500,000 to Democratic lobbyist Tony Podesta, who lobbied the White House on the Chinese telecom equipment maker's behalf on "telecommunication services" matters and "impacted trade issues" related to its placement on the Commerce Department Bureau of Industry and Security's entity list. President Joe Biden "and this administration believe digital infrastructure equipment made by untrustworthy vendors, like Huawei, pose a threat to the security of the U.S., our allies, and our partners," the White House said in a statement. "Export controls against Huawei remain in place" and "we are engaging with all of our partners and allies on the risks posed by Huawei and dozens of countries and carriers have made the decision to exclude Huawei from their 5G networks. And we expect this trend to continue.” Huawei and Podesta didn't comment Thursday.

Facebook expended $5.09 million, up more than 3% amid amplified federal scrutiny of the social media platform (see 2110130067). Amazon reported $4.74 million, more than 7% higher. NCTA spent $3.27 million, up 5%. Comcast outlaid $3.11 million, a 5% rise. Verizon paid $2.82 million, almost 26% higher. AT&T spent $2.76 million, up 9%. Microsoft noted $2.63 million, increasing almost 40%. Google spent $2.61 million, rising 35%. Charter reported $2.6 million, up 8%. CTIA laid out $2.4 million, up almost 2%. T-Mobile reported $2.12 million, down almost 20%. Qualcomm had just over $2 million, up 17%.

Apple posted $1.54 million, about 1% down. Dell and IBM each outlaid $1.25 million; for IBM it was 92% increase, and a 47% rise for Dell. ViacomCBS paid $940,000, down 5%. Disney disbursed $890,000, up 3%. Cox spent $880,000, up more than 8%. The Information Technology Industry Council paid $650,000, rising 54%. USTelecom reported $600,000, increasing 15%. Lumen reported $520,000, declining more than 9%. The Internet Association spent $470,000, up 88%. Broadcom paid $400,000, down 20%.

Twitter spent $350,000, declining more than 18%. BSA|The Software Alliance reported $260,000, down more than 29%. The Wireless Infrastructure Association spent $190,000, up more than 5%. ACA Connects paid $160,000, level with 2020. CCIA reported $120,000, jumping 200%. ICANN spent $85,000, unchanged. NTCA and the Telecommunications Industry Association each reported $80,000, a 20% drop for NTCA and 14% rise for TIA.