Government to Investigate Net Neutrality Comment Fraud

What’s the story?

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) will investigate the use of fraud and identify theft in the comments for the FCC’s rollback of net neutrality.

What does it matter?

Millions of comments were posted on the of the Federal Communication Commission’s website in anticipation of the FCC’s vote on net neutrality. The Pew Research Center had estimated that more than half of the 21.7 million public comments appeared to include false information, including being attributed to deceased individuals. Other comments were apparently submitted by bots and overseas persons.

On December 5, Congressional Democrats requested that the GAO investigate the fraud, including examining "whether this shady practice extends to other agency rulemaking processes."

Now, a month later, the GAO said it "accepts the request" and will “review the extent and pervasiveness of fraud and the misuse of American identities during federal rulemaking processes."

NEWS: GAO has accepted 10 Democrats’ request for an investigation of the pervasiveness of fraudulent comments made during a federal rule making process. pic.twitter.com/fVlBIxBAVG

— Energy Commerce Dems (@EnergyCommerce) January 23, 2018

It’ll be a bit before the investigation begins.

"At the current time we anticipate that staff with the required skills will be available to initiate an engagement in about five months," the GAO said.

Twenty-eight senators, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, and FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel asked the FCC to delay its December 14 vote on net neutrality over fraud concerns. But FCC Chairman Ajit Pai refused to investigate the issue, remove the fraudulent comments, or comply with Schneiderman’s investigation. The vote went ahead as planned and net neutrality was repealed.

What do you think?

Do you support the GAO investigation? Should the FCC have delayed their vote until the matter was looked into? If the GAO finds widespread fraud, should the net neutrality rollback be reexamined? Hit Take Action and tell your reps, then share your (non-bot, not-from-deceased) comments below.

Take Action

—Josh Herman

Related Reading

• Top Feds Call For Delay of Net Neutrality Vote

• New York Joins Montana in Implementing Net Neutrality Protections

• 22 States Sue to Keep Net Neutrality Protections

• Senate Dems One Vote Shy of Net Neutrality Revival—Tell Your Senators How to Vote Now

(Photo Credit: South_agency / iStock)