Google, Facebook and other sites found the Internet association

The world’s biggest websites from all over the world have banded together to create the Internet association. Currently the list is still under negotiation between the biggest members who have founded the group, the “big shots” include search engine giant Google, social networking superstar Facebook, auction site eBay  and retail mammoth Amazon.

The Internet Association (IA) is an American group that has been set up in order to lobby the US government, its influence may spread to other nations governments as time goes on but the initial focus is for America. The launch date for the IA is planned in Washington for September, the IA expects to announce a much longer member list when the launch arrives.

Michael Beckerman, former adviser to the chairman of the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, is to take leadership of the new group. He has said that his main aim is to educate legislators about the internet, how it works and more importantly what will restrict its growth.

Political lobbying is big business in the USA, $3.3 billion was spent on it last year. Google is one of the biggest spenders on lobbying, with $5.4 million paid out this year so far, while Facebook has spent a still sizeable $650,000. The companies involved have previously spoken out against issues such as SOPA and by unifying under one banner they hope to pack more clout in the political arena.

Of course they aren’t here just to defend internet freedoms, they want to negotiate more favourable tax policies and strengthen cyber security among many other issues.

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