Astroturfing in Net Neutrality Proceeding Seen Making Comments Noise
Proliferation of comments to the FCC on net neutrality -- particularly those generated by dubious means -- is raising the likelihood the agency will give public comments even less weight than it does in other proceedings, agency watchers told us. There have been calls for the FCC to investigate filings not actually made by the people whose names are attached (see 1705250064). The source is largely moot, since such comments are more akin to bumper sticker statements than what the agency would look for, said cable consultant Steve Effros.
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More than 465,000 pro-net neutrality public comments filed thus far to the FCC were submitted with email addresses that didn't match up with the signers' names or the same email addresses were used to file multiple comments, the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) said Wednesday. Fight for the Future (FFTF) also said as many as 450,000 comments supporting a rollback of Title II regulations are fraudulent, submitted using real people's names and addresses without permission.
In a tweet last month, FFTF said the comments “were potentially funded by Comcast.” The group's comcastroturf.com site -- allowing people to see if their name has been used in filing a comment and to submit a complaint to the FCC -- "is a tongue [in] cheek way of representing the overall long history of telco companies like Comcast funding these type of astroturf operations," Campaign Director Evan Greer emailed. Greer said FFTF didn't know if Comcast was directly involved "because the FCC has so far refused to release any information about what they know about this." Comcast didn't comment.
NLPC found that more than 100,000 identical comments used Electronic Frontier Foundation language, the email addresses were generated using a fake email generator program, and a spot check of a fraction of those 100,000 found some fake physical addresses and possibly fake names. EFF denied the allegation. "Not one name, email address, or email domain cited in the report matches any of the comments that came through EFF's comment tool," it said in a statement. "Making the case for net neutrality doesn't require fabricating names and address when real people across the country are speaking out for it every day."
Net neutrality comments are "a war of special interests," said NLPC President Peter Flaherty. The public comment process "has always been kind of a quaint process [but now] has become debased with such a high-profile issue and the application of technology through the use of bots and automatic messaging ... rendering it even more meaningless," he said. He said use of such astroturfed comments might die down "now that both sides have kind of screamed 'gotcha.' With millions of comments now and all the shenanigans, it's likely the FCC will just disregard the entire thing, as they probably should."
One public interest group said hundreds of thousands of "astroturfed" pro-Title II rollback requests use language from the Center for Individual Freedom. CFIF President Jeff Mazzella said the organization has been asking its supporters and other activists to submit comments to the FCC, along with having a portal through which supporters could sign onto a pre-written statement. "While we have not found any rampant abuse of the system, including confirming with our vendors on an ongoing basis that the safeguards put in place were working properly, we continue to be diligent in monitoring all of our efforts for such abuse," he said. "It is no secret that there are numerous provocateurs out there surrounding this debate who are spreading dubious and misleading claims. Regardless, CFIF takes seriously any and all accusations and charges that our efforts are or were being manipulated or used in inappropriate ways. Indeed, just their mere possibility undermines our legitimate efforts to encourage and facilitate grassroots activism. If it can be proven that any deceitful methods are being used to corrupt our legitimate efforts, CFIF believes the people and/or entities behind such efforts should be found, exposed and prosecuted."
Most comments in proceedings aren't relevant since they lack useful commentary and are largely "political noise," Effros said. Astroturf comments are "somewhat irrelevant," he said.
Asked about any investigation, the FCC pointed to Chairman Ajit Pai saying at the May commissioners' meeting news conference that "what matters most are the quality of the comments, not the quantity. We will make our decision based on the facts that are in the record and on the relevant law that is presented -- and obviously fake comments such as the ones submitted ... by The Flash, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Superman are not going to dramatically impact our deliberations."
The FCC won't decide based on raw number of comments, but does "have to acknowledge ruling against net neutrality ... is an act against public sentiment," said Free Press Director-Strategy Tim Karr: Pai "knows how he's going to rule and he knows that ruling is going to be highly unpopular. Suggesting this is not a public poll, he's simply covering his tracks for his future decision."