SOMO alleges that Big Tech is distorting democracy and dismantling safeguards through lobbying across jurisdictions
"Presenting the Big Tech Lobby Playbook" 12 February 2026
SOMO’s ‘Big Tech Lobby Playbook’ series explores the tools and tactics of Big Tech’s global influence over law and policymaking.
Across continents and political systems, Big Tech has deployed a clear playbook when it comes to lobbying to protect its business interests. From Brazil to India, the EU to Kenya, the tech giants use the same strategies and tactics to shape, delay or kill regulation that threatens their vast monopoly power and equally vast profits. Whether the battleground is AI or the rights of platform workers, these companies work from the same manual. And why wouldn’t they? As the cases in this series have shown, it works.
The case studies reveal a highly toxic form of political influence, where Big Tech manipulates the legislative and regulatory process in ways that threaten the fabric of democracy. The strategies tech giants use go well beyond classic corporate lobbying. Like most powerful business sectors, Big Tech has regular and direct access to senior politicians and policymakers. But their access has an edge no other business sector has ever had, not even the most powerful of traditional media empires: control of global communication infrastructure. By owning the way people access and share information, Big Tech is in a position to threaten governments and shape the environment in which public debate happens.
We refer to a lobby playbook because what Big Tech is doing echoes the tactics deployed by the tobacco industry to block public health laws, commonly referred to as the tobacco industry playbook. Later analysis showed the tobacco companies were actually emulating how oil companies deliberately frustrated action on climate change. But Big Tech has taken corporate lobbying to a whole new level. These companies have the influence that Big Tobacco and Big Oil could only dream of...
Strategy #1: Control the narrative...
Strategy #2: Create an echo chamber...
Strategy #3: Weaponise your own platforms...
Strategy #4: Never stop lobbying...
Strategy #5: Play the Trump card...
Strategy #6: Repeat globally...
Strategy for the future: a looming alliance with far-right forces...
As part of this series, we offered a number of companies and organisations the opportunity to respond to our analysis. Not all responded. The perspectives of those who did respond are incorporated in the relevant articles. The full responses can be accessed here.
None of the Big Tech companies responded. While not all entities responded, several organisations that carry out research, analysis and/or policy advocacy replied. Responses include ACT The App Association, Allied for Startups, Atlantic Council, Australian Information Industry Association, Business Software Alliance, Connected Commerce Council, Digital Industry Group Inc. (DIGI), Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), Oxera, and the Technology Council of Australia.