Google tops ten US tech firms in lobbying Washington

Google has yet again topped amongst the ten largest US technology companies in collectively spending more than $61 million  lobbying Washington in 2013, a report revealed.

Consumer Watchdog filed an analysis of records showing that firms, including Apple, Microsoft, and Facebook, used the money in attempts to guide the government's hand on issues such as privacy, data security, and advertising, the Verge reports.

According to the report, 2013 saw an increase of 16 percent in the collective expenditure than previous year.

Google's lobbying costs looked to be trending upwards at the end of 2013, after a decrease in relative third quarter spending.