Big Tech spends metric tons of lobby money. On just about everyone in D.C. To ensure that no one in D.C. does anything Big Tech doesn’t like.
And it’s worked – like a charm.
Thirty years of the Internet? And D.C. has passed ZERO limits on how Big Tech collects and sells our data. This dearth of limits has made Big Tech tens trillions of dollars.
Meanwhile, D.C. is moving at warp speed to ensure Big Tech can do whatever it wants to whomever it wants with Artificial Intelligence (AI). Zero federal guardrails. Whilst the feds override state and local laws, politicians and citizens are trying to at least tap the brakes.
And D.C. spends decades trying to illegally jam Big Tech mega-cronyism Net Neutrality down everyone’s throats. And steadfastly protecting Big Tech’s Section 230 blanket amnesty mega-cronyism.
In short: Big Tech owns D.C.
So it’s little wonder people are trying to rein in Big Tech? They have turned to the courts to attempt to do so.
“The message is clear,” New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, whose investigation resulted in a jury finding that Meta must pay $375 million for failing to protect kids from child predators, told Politico in an interview. “It’s time to change the way these companies do business.”
Less than 24 hours after the New Mexico verdict, jurors ruled against Meta and Google-owned YouTube in a Los Angeles social media addiction trial, ordering a total of $6 million in damages. The widely popular platforms, along with others like Snap and TikTok, once appeared unstoppable as they designed their algorithms for maximum user engagement. Tech’s critics are pouncing, determined that this time they will deliver Silicon Valley its long-threatened comeuppance.
The wheels of justice turn slowly. And by that I mean these court cases often take many years to arrive at a conclusion.
These cases have already taken years. And they ain’t anywhere near a conclusion:
The companies have vowed to appeal.
Shocker.
These are but two of oh-so-many lawsuits filed against Big Tech.
There are monopoly lawsuits. Privacy lawsuits. Data breach lawsuits. Artificial Intelligence lawsuits. And on, and on, and….
Why are the people trying to rein in Big Tech – placing so much time, money, effort and hope in the courts?
Because they know they’ll get absolutely nowhere in D.C.
Because in three decades, they’ve gotten absolutely nowhere in D.C.
Because Big Tech OWNS DC.
Behold the Lords of Lobby.
Big Tech companies are a part of at least two major tech lobby associations:
• NetChoice: “Works to make the Internet safe for free enterprise and free expression.”
• TechNet: “We are the voice of American innovation.”
Both groups have as members:
• Google (Alphabet) Market Cap: $3.3 trillion
• Amazon Market Cap: $2.1 trillion
• Facebook (Meta) Market Cap: $1.3 trillion
Google-Alphabet owns YouTube (Market Cap: $550 billion) – but YouTube is also a separate, unilaterally-listed member of NetChoice.
To make a little more manageable this analysis, we will henceforth continue to focus only on the three Big Tech companies that are members of both aforementioned tech lobby associations.
But as you can probably guess, the Magnificent seven tech companies (Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta Platforms, Nvidia, and Tesla) are nigh all HIGHLY active lobbyists.
Total lobby expenditures for the Mag 7 in 2025? $88.4 million.
Back to our Three….
Besides the aforementioned two associations – and even more others – Facebook-Meta also gives money to:
• Business Roundtable
• Computer & Communications Industry Association
• Consumer Technology Association
• Information Technology Industry Council
• Interactive Advertising Bureau
• Coalition for American Innovation
• Data Center Coalition
• And various others focused on AI, privacy, advertising, and innovation policy.
In total, Facebook-Meta spent $26.3 million on lobbying in 2025.
Besides the aforementioned two associations – and even more others – Amazon also gives money to:
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• Business Roundtable
• National Retail Federation
• Consumer Technology Association
• Computer & Communications Industry Association
• Motion Picture Association
• Others like the Bipartisan Policy Center, National Association of Manufacturers, and various tech/retail coalitions.
Wow, does a lot of that list look familiar?
In total, Amazon spent $18.9 million on lobbying in 2025.
Besides the aforementioned two associations – and even more others – Google-Alphabet also gives money to:
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• Business Roundtable
• Consumer Technology Association
• Computer & Communications Industry Association
• Information Technology Industry Council
• Others like the Bipartisan Policy Center, Atlantic Council, American Enterprise Institute, and various advertising/tech coalitions.
Wow, does a lot of that list look familiar.
In total, Google-Alphabet spent $16.5 million on lobbying in 2025.
How are average Americans supposed to compete with all of this? They can’t. Certainly not in D.C.
So, since we can’t break through Big Tech’s D.C. lobby monopoly, perhaps someone can sue Big Tech – under antitrust – to break up their D.C influence mega-cabal?
It can’t get us any less than trying to out-lobby them has.
Seton Motley is a consultant and the founder and president of Less Government, an organization dedicated to, well, less government. He is Editor-In-Chief Of stopnetregulation.org, a Center For Individual Freedom Project.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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