Twitter has started lobbying. Here’s how much they spent. (Mary Turner/Getty Images) Among tech companies, Twitter is relatively new to the Washington influence game.
It wasn't until late this summer that the company established its first political action committee in the nation's capital. But with an IPO looming, Twitter has begun spending small amounts on Capitol Hill, as if to test the waters. Twitter's man in Washington. Twitter is one of the most recognizable brands in the world, with about 170 million active users, including world leaders, business executives and celebrities.
But when it comes to a presence in Washington, D.C., Twitter still lags far behind other Silicon Valley giants. Facebook and Google have built extensive lobbying operations to ensure that policymakers look out for their interests. Twitter, the microblogging service that allows users to share their thoughts in 140-character messages, has no registered lobbyists and just two employees following policy issues. The company rents a handful of offices in a nondescript building about a mile from the U.S.
Capitol. Twitter Nabs a Legal Eagle From Google. Twitter, the popular micro-blogging service, has stolen a prominent Google lawyer.
Heidi Schumann for the New York TimesAlexander Macgillivray The start-up has hired Alexander Macgillivray, deputy general counsel for products and intellectual property at Google, to be its general counsel, according to a person with knowledge of the hiring. Mr. Twitter Hires a Director of Public Policy for Europe. Twitter hires GOP congressional staffer.