Google, Facebook, Amazon lead new tech lobby group

The Internet Association, a lobbying group made up of some of the Web's most powerful companies, has officially launched.

The organization today announced that it's now operating in Washington, D.C. under the leadership of president and CEO Michael Beckerman. First announced earlier this year, the Internet Association is backed by 14 giants of the Web, including Amazon, AOL, Google, Facebook, Yahoo, and others. The companies hope to have their voices heard in Washington, Beckerman says.

"A free and innovative Internet is vital to our nation's economic growth," Beckerman said today in a statement. "These companies are all fierce competitors in the market place, but they recognize the Internet needs a unified voice in Washington. They understand the future of the Internet is at stake and that we must work together to protect it."

According to the Internet Association, it'll focus its lobbying efforts on three core areas: "protecting Internet freedom, fostering innovation and economic growth, and empowering users." The organization will directly meet with lawmakers.

Many of the Internet Association's backers are no strangers to lobbying. Over the summer, in fact, Facebook was found to have significantly increased its lobbying spending, raising it to $960,000 during the second quarter. Google set its lobbying record in the first quarter, spending a whopping $5.03 billion on the Hill.