Apple scaled its lobbying efforts in Washington D.C. back 13% in 2012. The company spent a mere $2 million, a fraction compared to rivals Google and Microsoft.
While Apple spent just $1.97 million in federal lobbying dollars during all of the 2012 presidential election year, its rival Google spent more than $18 million, as noted by Philip Elmer-Dewitt of Apple 2.0 on Monday. While Apple spent less last year, Google’s lobbying dollars increased by 90 percent year over year.
Other tech companies spending more than Apple included: Microsoft ($8.09 million), Hewlett-Packard ($7.22 million), Facebook ($3.99 million), Amazon ($2.5 million), and Dell ($2.39 million).
Apple spread its spending out evenly over the year while spreading it out thinly over various issues. The company spent around $500,000 per quarter throughout 2012, while topics included taxation and the repatriation of profits housed overseas, education and the use of digital textbooks in schools, and the environment and EPEAT standards.
Apple has historically spent less that its rivals on government lobbying.
