Yahoo Inc. ramped up its lobbying efforts to start the year as the Internet company discussed its new partnership with Microsoft Corp. and a wide range of other issues with federal lawmakers and regulars.
The $530,000 that Yahoo spent on lobbying during the first quarter represented a 15 percent increase from $460,000 spent at the same time last year, according to a recently filed disclosure form.
Besides laying out its rationale for teaming with Microsoft in Internet search, Yahoo tried to undermine a proposed legal settlement that would give rival Google Inc. the digital rights to millions of out-of-print books. Microsoft and Amazon.com Inc. also are working with Yahoo in a group spearheading an effort to block the books settlement, which is awaiting a decision from a federal judge in New York.
Yahoo also tried to make its points about Internet privacy, online advertising, human rights, patent protection, Internet security, proposed financial regulation reforms, executive compensation, health insurance reform and the future of journalism on the Web, according to an April 20 filing with the House of Representatives' clerk's office.
The lobbying efforts were directed at Congress, the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S Trade Representative.
Although Yahoo tends to cover a lot of lobbying ground, the company spends considerably less on political persuasion than its biggest rivals. Google's first-quarter lobbying expenses totaled nearly $1.4 million while Microsoft spent $1.7 million.