Campaign funded by broadband industry submitted millions of fake consumer comments supporting repeal of net neutrality, report says Published May 6
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Print article The Office of the New York Attorney General said in a new report that a campaign funded by the broadband industry submitted millions of fake comments supporting the 2017 repeal of net neutrality. The Federal Communications Commission’s contentious 2017 repeal undid Obama-era rules that barred internet service providers from slowing or blocking websites and apps or charging companies more for faster speeds to consumers. The industry had sued to stop these rules before they were repealed but lost.
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New York Attorney General Letitia James released a report by her office on Thursday that found “widespread fraud, as well as abusive practices used to sway government policy using masses of comments and messages to create the false impression of popular support,” for the FCC’s net neutrality repeal. Advertisement Hide
In 2017, ahead of the FCC’s vote, it was found that millions of fraudulent comments were filed supporting the repeal. In fact, one study found that 99 percent of comments from actual people were against the FCC repealing the rules.
James notes that “an industry trade group and three companies that are among the biggest players in the United States internet, phone, and cable market” banded together to try and create the illusion of support for the FCC’s repeal and give it “cover.”
Broadband industry paid for millions of anti-net neutrality comments, New York AG says
Updated May 06, 2021;
Posted May 06, 2021
In this Aug. 6, 2020 file photo, New York State Attorney General Letitia James takes a question at a news conference in New York.AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File
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The Office of the New York Attorney General said in a new report that a campaign funded by the broadband industry submitted millions of fake comments supporting the 2017 repeal of net neutrality.
The Federal Communications Commission’s contentious 2017 repeal undid Obama-era rules that barred internet service providers from slowing or blocking websites and apps or charging companies more for faster speeds to consumers. The industry had sued to stop these rules during the Obama administration but lost.
Broadband Companies Paid For Millions Of Fake Net Neutrality Comments, NY AG Says bigcountry995.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from bigcountry995.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
An investigation by the New York Attorney General’s Office has found that well over half of all the public comments on the Federal Communications Commission’s net neutrality rollback in 2017 were fake. There were 22 million comments in total, putting the number of fraudulent ones at about 18 million.
The broadband industry was reportedly responsible for the larger majority of the fake comments at about 8.5 million, while another 7.7 million apparently came from a 19-year-old college student and the remaining ones were from unknown sources. While the evidence that many of the claims were fraudulent was apparent all the way back in 2017, the investigation’s report sheds a new light on not only the presence of fraudulent claims but the scope as well.