Social media giant Facebook has hired a former Wisconsin attorney general as a lobbyist, presumably to push company-backed legislation in the Badger State.
Facebook confirmed hiring Republican J. B. Van Hollen but the company wouldn’t say what state issues they’re interested in.
Katy Culver, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who researches social media, said she has a hunch.
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“I would suspect it’s mainly issues of privacy law and data security,” she said.
Culver said Facebook might want to push for reform allowing them to lower the minimum age to use the site or change restrictions on the use of photographs.
Michael Wagner, also at UW-Madison, said he thinks Facebook hired Van Hollen to handle lawsuits.
“This is a smart strategic move on Facebook’s part because they’re getting a lobbyist who is very familiar with state law and knows state lawmakers well.
Van Hollen’s firm hasn’t yet listed any bills its working on.
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