The Next Congress Will Likely Take on Big Tech. Smaller Internet Companies Want a Voice

A group of more than a dozen medium-size tech companies, including Dropbox, Reddit and Etsy, are in talks to form their own lobbying coalition in Washington, D.C., to ensure that they don’t get swept up in new laws and regulations aimed at restricting the power of big technology companies.

Regardless of who wins the presidential election, which was still not finalized as of early Wednesday, internet companies are bracing for changes to a law that currently shields them from lawsuits filed over inflammatory or disputed content and videos that their users post. The midsize companies, however, have a particular concern. They want Congress to realize that their businesses will disproportionately suffer if they have to comply with laws aimed at large companies such as Facebook and Google. As of Wednesday morning, the balance of power in Congress after the elections looks largely unchanged.