https://www.siliconvalley.com/2019/01/23/google-led-a-multimillion-dollar-tech-industry-lobbying-blitz-in-2018-records-show/ > Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Google and Microsoft spent a combined $64 million to shape U.S. regulations and stave off government scrutiny in 2018, according to ethics reports filed late Tuesday, an uptick in lobbying that reflects the industry’s souring political fortunes in Washington — and the policy battles still on the horizon. > The tech sector’s most prolific spender was Google: It shelled out more than $21 million last year to lobby Congress, the White House and key federal agencies on issues including online privacy, an analysis of the disclosure reports shows. That marks a new record for the search giant, which spent roughly $18 million in 2017 — more than any other company across all industries — to influence policymakers in the nation’s capital.