Last year saw a record Apple lobbying spend, as the company sought to fight the threat of antitrust legislation, according to public disclosures.
Apple’s spend was part of an “incredible onslaught of money” which derailed proposed antitrust legislation in the Senate, according to its leading sponsor.
Apple has come under antitrust pressure all around the world, most notably in respect of App Storepolicies – including in its home market of the US.
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Back in 2019, Congress began a year-long antitrust investigation into tech giants, which included Apple. The Cupertino company was found to engage in “deeply disturbing” anticompetitive behavior.”
In 2021, the House Judiciary Committee approved a bill known as The American Choice and Innovation Online Act, which would make it illegal for companies to give preferential treatment to their own products over those of competitor products hosted on the same platform. This would, for example, ban Apple from allowing in-app subscriptions to Apple Music while charging Spotify for the same feature.
CNBC reports that Apple last year boosted its lobbying spend by 44%.
Apple’s filing lists eight lobbyists on antitrust issues, a higher number than for any other issue – though the company included lobbying on LGBTQ issues under the same heading.
