Oracle’s lobbying efforts have come to light, as executives met privately with Senate aides to discuss the TikTok data agreement. This occurred after a House bill was passed, proposing a ban on the popular social media app. Oracle serves as the data center for TikTok users in the United States, and a ban would have significant financial consequences for the company.
Erik Ken Glueck, Oracle’s EVP, stated that four meetings were held to discuss the technical aspects of the data storage project. Oracle partnered with two lobbying firms, Fierce Government Relations and Polaris Government Relations, to facilitate these meetings. Glueck emphasized that Oracle did not lobby for or against the TikTok bill and disclosed the meetings to maintain transparency.
Analysts predict that a TikTok ban would result in Oracle losing its largest Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) customer. The deal between TikTok and Oracle is reportedly valued at $1 billion. The Commerce Committee, chaired by Sen. Maria Cantwell, and the Intelligence Committee, led by Sen. Mark Warner, are overseeing the legislation.
TikTok has invested heavily in lobbying efforts to oppose the bill, while Oracle has taken a more cautious approach, focusing on providing technical assistance to lawmakers. The Internal Revenue Service defines this assistance as legislators seeking guidance from industry experts during the deliberation process. Oracle’s lobbying presence in Washington is substantial, with over $2.4 million spent this year on various policy issues, including TikTok.
