Twitter to launch #PAC, hires lobbyist

Washington, August 10 – Microblogging site Twitter has reportedly declared formation of a new political action committee and hire a federal lobbyist for the first time.

 

According to Politico, Twitter #PAC will give company executives and employees a way to steer donations to federal candidates, while company policy manager William Carty will officially register to lobby on the company's behalf.

 

Twitter spokesperson Jim Prosser said that the company expects to continue to play an active role in speaking up on issues related to internet freedom, government access to user data, patent reform and freedom of expression.

 

Carty has formerly served as policy director for Republicans on the Senate Commerce Committee while the newly hired spokesman on policy issues, Nu Wexler has been a former Senate staffer.

 

This decision comes in light of the revelations by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden about the surveillance programme carried out by the US government of which major internet companies were alleged to have played a dominant part.

 

However, Twitter, which has long advocated on privacy, access and communication issues, was not among the nine tech companies identified in the leaked NSA slide about a monitoring program called PRISM.

 

The report said that Twitter has also joined other major tech companies, including Microsoft, Google and Facebook, in establishing a Beltway-based influence arm.

 

ANI