Apple wants to be heard in Washington: Record sum for lobbying

The political climate for Apple is getting rougher. While co-founder Steve Jobs was still able to count on Apple being viewed as a niche company despite all its success and the product promises caught on in politics, today Apple boss Tim Cook has to deal more and more with the decision-makers. In order to be heard in the US capital Washington DC, Apple spent more on lobbying in the first half of 2022 than ever before.

According to a report by the US financial news portal Bloomberg, Apple is fighting tooth and nail against the forced opening of the App Store to competitors. This threatens not only in Europe, where the European Union has introduced new regulations with the Digital Markets Act. Even in Apple’s home country, the USA, the legislature is looking more and more critically at the activities of tech companies, where Apple, as the top earner, is attracting particular attention.

Tim Cook is personally committed

Apple fears that the opening of the App Store could affect the security and data protection of the system and thus a main selling point for iPhone and Co. In addition to higher personnel expenses for lobbyists in Washington, even Tim Cook is personally committed to getting senators and representatives on Apple’s side on more and more occasions.

Even though Cook repeatedly looked contrite in pictures when he met then-US President Donald Trump, it was easier for him to discuss things with the Republican than with his successor, Democrat Joe Biden. According to the report, Apple has not yet indicated direct access to the White House. Apple invests all the more in personnel from the political establishment – ​​mostly former employees of senators and representatives who use their networks to benefit Apple.

4.6 million US dollars invested

In the first half of 2022, Apple spent $4.6 million on lobbying, up $1.5 million year-on-year and an average of $1 million more than the previous four years, according to Congressional documents. The number of Apple lobbyists has risen from 43 in 2015 to 65 most recently. Already at the beginning of the year it became apparent that Apple would reach record highs in lobby spending – this trend continued in the second quarter. Apple is still far below the numbers of other tech companies such as Amazon, Google and Meta.

According to other lobbyists, Apple has become much more visible in political Washington. Lisa Jackson, whom observers of the company know primarily from her appearances as coordinator for environmental affairs, is also responsible for government affairs. As a former director of the US Environmental Protection Agency in the Obama administration, she is well connected.

(mki)