Silicon Valley, the new lobbying monster

Tech Lobbying Is Not New

• Many argue Silicon Valley is not a “new” lobbying monster; tech firms have lobbied heavily for at least a decade-plus.
• Earlier waves: Microsoft post–antitrust, then Google, Meta, Amazon; tech lobbying increased once firms realized being “unrepresented” meant getting pushed around by better-organized industries.
• Lesson drawn: once government seriously threatens an industry, serious lobbying inevitably follows.

Crypto’s Political Influence

• Thread highlights aggressive crypto PAC activity and messaging in Congress: support “pro‑crypto” politicians, punish “anti‑crypto” ones.
• Some see this as an extension of finance rather than “tech,” given leadership backgrounds and focus on price/speculation.
• Supporters argue crypto policy should be shaped in the U.S. to capture tax and economic upside and as a tool against authoritarian censorship; critics see it as largely about enriching insiders and promoting risky speculation.

Section 230, “Cyber Liberties,” and Party Alignments

• Disagreement over which U.S. party is better for digital freedoms.
• Some claim Democrats are generally better on “cyber issues,” others counter with examples of Democratic calls to weaken Section 230 or push content moderation and misinformation takedowns.
• Republicans are also criticized for attacks on Section 230 and attempts to pressure platforms.
• Overall: broad fear that both parties want more control over online speech, for different reasons.

Citizens United and Money in Politics

• Strong split on Citizens United.
• Critics: equating money with speech entrenches oligarchic power, fuels Super PACs, and undermines democratic equality.
• Defenders: see it as necessary First Amendment protection for organizations and independent expenditures; argue restricting money would entrench incumbents and government‑favored speakers.
• Some propose public funding and strict spending caps; others fear government control of who gets campaign resources.

Silicon Valley’s Values and Evolution

• Many feel SV shifted from “countercultural / don’t be evil” to establishment, profit‑maximizing, lobby‑driven power—likened to oil, tobacco, and defense.
• Counterpoint: it was always tightly aligned with capital; the idealistic image was a useful smokescreen.
• Debate over whether all SV firms are “Philip Morris–like” or whether a few giant platforms distort perceptions.

Other Structural Points

• Broader cynicism: lobbying is a universal feature wherever government can help or hurt profits.
• Comparisons to other big lobbies (oil/energy, healthcare, real estate, car dealers, Chamber of Commerce).
• Some argue the core problem is concentrated power, not just money, and see a race-to-the-bottom dynamic in “if we don’t do it, the other side will.”