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Caught Our Eye

Reddit sends first lobbyists to Washington

Posted by Keturah Hetrick on Oct. 4, 2017

Reddit, the popular website where users discuss everything from politics to porn, has hired its first federal lobbying firm.

The social discussion and media aggregation site hired Franklin Square Group in July to lobby on "Internet issues, including net neutrality and liability protections for online platforms," according to a disclosure released this week. For years, Reddit has taken a strong stance against Federal Communications Commission proposals to overturn Obama-era net-neutrality rules. The organization could also soon become more vulnerable to liability issues surrounding its content, thanks in part to a new video-hosting feature, as well as a Senate bill that could hold online communities responsible for user-posted text and media.

Reddit, which is valued at around $1.8 billion, also has indirect lobbying representation through its membership in the Internet Association, another Franklin Square Group client. The lobbying firm also represents tech giants Apple, Google and Uber.