Biggest ISPs paid for 8.5 million fake FCC comments opposing net neutrality

Discussion in 'Computers & Tech' started by Durandal, May 6, 2021.

  1. Durandal

    Durandal Well-Known Member Donor

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    Biggest ISPs paid for 8.5 million fake FCC comments opposing net neutrality

    Campaign that generated 8.5 million comments faked consent records, AG said.
    JON BRODKIN - 5/6/2021, 1:55 PM

    The largest Internet providers in the US funded a campaign that generated "8.5 million fake comments" to the Federal Communications Commission as part of their fight against net neutrality rules during the Trump administration, according to a report issued today by New York State Attorney General Letitia James.

    Nearly 18 million out of 22 million comments were fabricated, including both pro- and anti-net neutrality submissions, the report said. One 19-year-old submitted 7.7 million pro-net neutrality comments under fake, randomly generated names. But the astroturfing effort funded by the broadband industry stood out because it used real people's names without their consent, with third-party firms hired by the industry faking consent records, the report said.

    The NY AG's office began its investigation in 2017 and said it faced stonewalling from then-FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, who refused requests for evidence. But after a years-long process of obtaining and analyzing "tens of thousands of internal emails, planning documents, bank records, invoices, and data comprising hundreds of millions of records," the NY AG said it "found that millions of fake comments were submitted through a secret campaign, funded by the country's largest broadband companies, to manufacture support for the repeal of existing net neutrality rules using lead generators."

    ... https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy...on-fake-fcc-comments-opposing-net-neutrality/

    Nail these jerks to the wall!
     
    Last edited: May 6, 2021
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  2. kazenatsu

    kazenatsu Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    This concept of "Net neutrality" is mostly a solution to a problem that does not actually really exist.

    And the vast majority of this net bias is against conservatives, which really makes one wonder why progressives are mostly the ones so eager to push it.

    The answer might be that it is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Made to look like it will help reduce censorship, when in reality it will open up a legal framework for government control and more censorship.

    Internet bias actually probably has very little effect on overall politics in the country, with the limited exception of Facebook to some degree. If you want to really look at media bias, we should look at the media articles that appear in the home page of internet searches that are automatically programmed in by default to access devices. These are headlines that appear without people even trying to search for them. And then of course there is the television news on the major channels that come for free with the least expensive packages.
    If they really wanted to solve the problem of bias, they might focus more on those two.
     
    Last edited: May 7, 2021
  3. DEFinning

    DEFinning Well-Known Member Donor

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    While I am not computer savvy at all, it seems to me that you do not understand the concept of net neutrality, if you think it has to do with cable tv packages.

    I'm not sure what the other thing is that you are describing: your news feed? your internet server's recommended/sponsored links? associated/ related/ suggested articles, akin to, "other people ask," options? or something else, entirely.
     
    Last edited: May 7, 2021
  4. kazenatsu

    kazenatsu Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    No, you misunderstood. I did not say or imply that net neutrality had anything to do with TV.

    I think I was saying that the impetus behind this idea of net neutrality is the same as the reasons we should be examining other types of things outside of just net neutrality.

    Yes, I think that might be the name for it. When you go to your homepage search, and there are news article headlines below.
     
    Last edited: May 7, 2021

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