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NY AG Wants Neutrality Vote Delay to Investigate Bogus Comments

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has urged the FCC to hold off on a December 14 vote to kill popular net neutrality protections, giving his office the chance to finish its investigation into who filled the FCC's net neutrality proceeding with fraudulent comments. We've noted several times how some group or individual filled the FCC's public comment period with fake support for the FCC's plan to kill net neutrality, in some cases even using the names of people that had never heard of net neutrality -- or were in some cases dead.

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Schneiderman's office complained recently in an open letter to FCC boss Ajit Pai that despite nine requests during a period of six months, the FCC simply refused to help the AG investigate the comment fraud.

And while public pressure this week finally forced the FCC to cooperate, Schneiderman joined a coalition of 40 consumer groups and officials from New York City in urging the FCC to delay the vote. Consumer groups had argued that the FCC vote should be delayed as well, due to the fact that a looming AT&T, FTC court case could undermine the FTC's ability to protect consumers in the wake of the net neutrality repeal.

"One million comments on #NetNeutrality may have been submitted using real people's stolen identities," the AG's office stated on Twitter. It's vital that the @FCC delay its vote until we know what happened."

Critics charge the FCC has repeatedly refused to do anything about the bogus net neutrality proceeding comments because they help undermine the value of the entire comment period, helping to downplay the massive, genuine public opposition to Pai's plan. Unveiling who was behind the bogus comment campaign could also potentially lead back to companies or individuals pushing for the repeal. The FCC's refusal to listen to concerns continued as the agency refuses to delay the vote.

"This is just evidence that supporters of heavy-handed Internet regulations are becoming more desperate by the day as their effort to defeat Chairman Pai's plan to restore Internet freedom has stalled," the FCC said in response to the request. "The vote will proceed as scheduled on December 14."

Most recommended from 30 comments


sims
join:2013-04-06

9 recommendations

sims

Member

Just stalling.

Unless it would influence the FCC's decision there isn't any reason to delay the vote.

IMHO even if it could be conclusively proven that every single anti NN comment was faked it would not change their decision.

Anyone else think it's a strange coincidence they just happen to be killing AIM the day after the vote?
NYC45
join:2017-02-01

5 recommendations

NYC45

Member

He should conduct his

investigation and if he finds wrongdoings which we know then he should lock this crooked FCC chairman.
nltech
join:2007-06-13
West Haverstraw, NY

1 edit

4 recommendations

nltech

Member

FCC and Media

Considering many of the comments came before they changed the docket they should throw them all out and start over.