Facebook Forms Its Own Political Action Committee

Facebook filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission Monday to form a Political Action Committee called FB PAC. "FB PAC will give our employees a way to make their voice heard in the political process by supporting candidates who share our goals of promoting the value of innovation to our economy while giving people the power to share and make the world more open and connected," said a spokesman to The Hill's Hillicon Valley blog. The FEC did not have FB PAC's information on its website as of Monday afternoon.

Facebook has already spent $550,000 this fiscal year on lobbying, up from $350,000 in 2010. Facebook's lobbying pales in comparison to Google and Microsoft, both of which have spent already about $3.5 million this fiscal year lobbying.

Facebook has recently hired a number of GOP consultants, joining tech rival Google in embracing elements of the conservative movement. For Facebook, that includes cozying up to conservative stalwarts the National Federation of Independent Business and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

"Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and we believe that Facebook can be a tremendous tool to fuel their growth and success," Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook Chief Operating Officer, said in a statement published in Monday's Politico Playbook.

As part of the gesture, Facebook announced that it would offer small businesses up to $10 million in free advertisements on its site. Every business that joins and redeems a $50 credit will be entered into a contest to get more check-ins and likes.

Comments

[TedEjr]

09:06 PM on 09/28/2011

This has really, really, gotten out of control

[mikdfour]

10:17 AM on 09/28/2011

Google has been a close supporter of the Obama adminstration. Heck, Microsoft and Google were #4 and #5, respectively, in the top donors for the Obama 2008 campaign. All of these large companies play both side of the aisle so don't get your undies in a bunch.

[PhilipTaylor]

08:59 AM on 09/28/2011

Nomi Prins, author of It Takes a Pillage, about Goldman Sachs' Facebook deal and more.

 
http://rt.com/programs/keiser-report/keiser-bear-sterns-sachs/

[Christian Fredrickson]

02:53 AM on 09/28/2011

So now what? How does a responsible liberal shop for viable alternatives to Facebook and Google? We already know Yahoo and Microsoft are corrupt. What's the political leaning of Tumblr or WordPress? How do I continue my web presence without allying myself to the face of evil?

[billw8017]

11:16 PM on 09/27/2011

The geeks confuse science with libertarianism and confuse libertarianism with the Republicans. So, now Facebook and Google are seguing right even while we could expect them to support choice and the legalization of Marijuana.

Of course, I have no idea. Who knows; maybe they are union busters with a preference for contract labor without minimum wages or benefits. Just because they are super rich doesn't mean they know how to do no evil.

Am I bitter? I guess so.

[electrosef]

10:25 PM on 09/27/2011

To protect the citizens of America from losing the democracy, we need a constitutional amendment to restrain corporate involvement with governance, AND we need a constitutional amendment to outlaw ALL private contributions to the political process. Governance, to function according to the will of the citizens, MUST be a transparent, public affair.

[AndyWright68]

09:32 PM on 09/27/2011

He who controls the guns of the government rules the people it steals from.

[rebelriser]

05:45 PM on 09/27/2011

I do NOT & will NOT use Facebook because I value my privacy more than to turn any personal information over to a company so big that occasionally there have been information leaks. It is impossible to take back information once it gets out there. There is already too much sharing or selling of our information, and the more out there it is, the more suseptable we are to information harvestors who don't care what is done with our information, and to prove my point, where do you think the growing amounts of junk mail are coming from and how did we get on those lists? Our information is valuable sources of profit to businesses, BUT it is even more valuable to us when we can keep it close.

[Jeffrey Garza Falcon]

04:15 PM on 09/27/2011

there's a better alternative to Facebook, it's called Tumblr.

[Jeffrey Garza Falcon]

04:12 PM on 09/27/2011

I smell a rat

[Lorien Tansey Carrillo]

03:45 PM on 09/27/2011

If you're going to boycott Facebook because of it's PAC and GOP activities, you'll have to stop using Google, too. According to this article they dwarf Facebook in this arena and have been doing it far longer.

[mikdfour]

09:32 PM on 09/27/2011

All of these corporations play both sides of the aisle. Heck, Google has been cozying up to the current admin for the last 3 years.

[beerbagger]

03:43 PM on 09/27/2011

Hey they made the rules... FB's just playing too now, and we let it happen to us. Get used to it. DC is not a holy place of political messianic elected to deliver salvation. They're anointed to keep things favorable for their sponsors.

[goldmag]

02:31 PM on 09/27/2011

Social networking at it's best, as long as you're a republican. All the more reason to abandon facebook.

[Cranmer1549]

12:34 PM on 09/27/2011

This is the way it works in our "democracy." The Hoodied One is just being smart.

[SalingersGhost]

12:29 PM on 09/27/2011

Facebook must be stopped. There is something frightening about a company that is attempting to become the only gatekeeper for entry on the internet. They want you to stay logged in forever... and now they're attempting to get the government to sign off on that plan...

http://mankabros.com/blogs/onmedea/2011/09/01/facebook-must-be-stopped/