eBay has spent $363,500 on governmental lobbying activities in the second quarter of 2010.

Auction site eBay spent some $363,500 (£235,515) in the second quarter of the year lobbying the US federal government on a range of issues including cybersecurity, patent reform and tax rules, it has been revealed.

eBay also pushed governmental departments for bills to crack down on identity theft, which would make things safer for those sending a parcel delivery through the site, as well as visas for high-skilled workers, BusinessWeek reports.

The auction site has been lobbying on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement in the US, which some experts have said may hold web providers and search engines to account for their users' activities.

However, eBay spent less on lobbying this in the second quarter than in the first, according to BusinessWeek, when the auction site spent $539,000 (£349,000).

Last month, eBay announced the roll-out of its eBay Bucks programme, which aims to reward frequent buyers and sellers with cash bonuses when they use PayPal.

Article Added: 03/09/2010 16:23:27