Amazon secretly funds new coalition opposing tech regulation

Amazon’s funding of the coalition is the latest example of how technology giants have been discreetly funnelling money into affinity groups that back their agenda amid the largest and most expensive lobbying battle in the industry’s history. — AFP

A group fighting antitrust legislation targeting the biggest US tech companies presents itself as a grassroots advocate for American taxpayers, yet it hasn’t disclosed a significant source of funding from one of the industry’s giants: Amazon.com Inc.

The Competitiveness Coalition, led by Scott Brown, a former Republican senator from Massachusetts, has received more than US$1mil (RM4.44bil) from Amazon, according to three people familiar with the organisation’s funding.