Major US technology firms have enjoyed unparalleled access to UK government ministers, holding meetings at a rate of more than once per working day, an exclusive investigation has revealed. The scale of their lobbying dwarfs the access granted to campaigners fighting for child safety online and protections for artists' copyright.
A Stark Imbalance of Influence
An analysis of official records covering the two years to October 2025 shows tech companies and their lobbyists attended at least 639 meetings with ministers. In stark contrast, organisations campaigning for stronger online protections for children, such as the NSPCC and the Molly Rose Foundation, attended just 75 meetings in the same period.
The data, uncovered by The Guardian, highlights what campaigners call a "shocking" and "disturbing" power imbalance at the heart of government. Google led the way with over 100 ministerial meetings, while industry body Tech UK met ministers more than once every eight working days. Other firms with significant access included Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Elon Musk's X.
Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation—set up by the family of 14-year-old Molly Russell who took her own life after viewing harmful content—said the frequency was "astounding". He warned it pointed to "the incredible power imbalance at stake when it comes to protecting children online".
Child Safety and Copyright Concerns Sidelined
The figures reveal that tech firms' access was also more than three times greater than that of groups seeking to protect copyrighted works from being mined to build AI models. This issue has alarmed figures like Sir Elton John and author Kazuo Ishiguro, who warn it risks giving away artists' "lifeblood".
Campaigner Ed Newton-Rex called the statistics "shocking", arguing they explain why a recent government consultation on AI and copyright launched with a "preferred option that read like a wishlist from big tech". He urged the government to stop "bending the knee to US big tech companies—which, as the recent Grok debacle has shown, don't have the interests of the British people at heart".
The controversy refers to X's Grok AI image generator, which has sparked outrage for producing sexualised images. This has fuelled a campaign, opposed by tech firms, for the UK to follow Australia in considering a social media ban for under-16s.
Government Defence and Political Reaction
The government defended its engagement, stating that "regular engagement with technology companies is vital to delivering economic growth and transforming public services". A Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) spokesperson said meetings covered a wide range of issues, from investment to implementing online safety laws, and that ministers also routinely meet campaign groups.
However, the findings have drawn sharp criticism from across the political spectrum. Dame Chi Onwurah, the Labour chair of the science and technology select committee, said the data underscored the reality that these firms have turnovers larger than many countries' GDP. "Their ability to influence stands in stark contrast to that of their users, our constituents, or those campaigning to make the internet safer," she stated, emphasising the need for big tech to be accountable to parliament.
Crossbench peer and campaigner Baroness Beeban Kidron described successive governments' approach as "disturbing". "This privileged access is mirrored in their policy, and tech industry talking points are parroted by officials. This capture creates harm," she said, adding that a sovereign government's duty is to its citizens, "not to the tech bros".
The records show that US and Canadian AI startups Anthropic, OpenAI and Cohere collectively had 27 ministerial meetings, after each signed memorandums of understanding with the UK government to explore using AI in public services. With 84% of the public concerned ministers will prioritise tech partnerships over the public interest in AI regulation, the debate over corporate influence in Westminster is set to intensify.
