Tech's Big Money Campaign is Getting Pushback with Margaret O'Mara and Brody Mullins
Aug 26, 2024
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Margaret O'Mara, a historian focused on the development of technology's societal impact, joins journalist Brody Mullins to explore the tech industry's lobby power in Washington, DC. They discuss how Silicon Valley's lobbying tactics evolved over the past decade. The duo highlights grassroots mobilization's importance amid bipartisan skepticism towards big tech. Listeners learn about historical parallels in corporate influence on legislation and the pressing need for consumer advocacy to balance power dynamics between tech giants and the public.
The tech industry's significant lobbying power in Washington has dramatically increased over the last decade, shaping policy in its favor.
Grassroots campaigns, as seen in the mobilization against SOPA and PIPA, have become essential for tech companies to influence public opinion and legislative outcomes.
Deep dives
Legislative Milestones and Industry Resistance
Recent legislative developments have shown significant progress in technology reform, notably with the Senate passing the Kids' Online Safety and Privacy Act and a court declaring Google's monopoly illegal. Despite this progress, the tech industry, particularly large corporations like Google, is expected to vigorously resist these changes. The stalemate in implementing these reforms has raised questions about the role of lobbying in delaying meaningful policy actions. Historically, lobbying has transformed into one of the strongest powers in Washington, overshadowing consumer interests and hindering fair regulations.
Historical Context of Lobbying Power
The history of lobbying reveals that it was initially envisioned as a balanced system by the founding fathers, but has since evolved into a power concentrated in the hands of big corporations, especially tech giants. From the 1970s onward, as economic challenges arose, businesses began to invest heavily in lobbying efforts to influence legislation, resulting in a disproportionate advantage over consumer interests. Notably, the explosion of registered lobbyists in Washington from the late 20th century illustrates the growing power of corporate influence over public policy. This stark shift illustrates the imbalance that now exists in the legislative process, heavily favoring corporate interests.
Tech’s Awakening to Lobbying Strategies
Silicon Valley was initially slow to recognize the importance of effective lobbying, but pivotal moments, such as Microsoft’s antitrust lawsuit, marked a turning point for tech companies to engage with Washington. As regulatory threats became more evident, companies like Google began to establish sophisticated lobbying operations to influence policy in their favor. This strategic shift demonstrated an understanding that relationship-building in D.C. was essential for long-term viability. By employing various tactics, including direct campaigns to engage with the public, tech companies aimed to reshape the narrative surrounding their industry.
Evolution of Public Engagement in Lobbying
The shift in lobbying tactics has evolved from traditional inside-the-beltway influence to grassroots campaigns that engage the public directly. An example of this change was the widespread mobilization against the SOPA and PIPA bills, which saw tech companies leverage their user base to block legislation perceived as harmful. This tactic highlighted the effectiveness of using public opinion as a formidable lobby against established interests. As tech companies navigate their complex public relations challenges, understanding the power of grassroots organization becomes increasingly important for protecting their business models.
Today, the tech industry is the second-biggest lobbying power in Washington, DC, but that wasn’t true as recently as ten years ago. How did we get to this moment? And where could we be going next? On this episode of Your Undivided Attention, Tristan and Daniel sit down with historian Margaret O’Mara and journalist Brody Mullins to discuss how Silicon Valley has changed the nature of American lobbying.
CORRECTION: Brody Mullins refers to AT&T as having a “hundred million dollar” lobbying budget in 2006 and 2007. While we couldn’t verify the size of their budget for lobbying, their actual lobbying spend was much less than this: $27.4m in 2006 and $16.5m in 2007, according to OpenSecrets.
The views expressed by guests appearing on Center for Humane Technology’s podcast, Your Undivided Attention, are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of CHT. CHT does not support or oppose any candidate or party for election to public office
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