NEWS: FEC looks to tighten Political activity on the net

The FEC has decided to start looking into tighten political activities on the internet. They specifically intend on looking into how these activities fit into the definition of public communications. Outside of the internet, any kind of coordinated campaign, involving the candidate or his party, is subject to strict limits on contributions by the FEC. The Federal Election Commission though, put an exemption on coordinated campaign communications over the internet in 2002 essentially leaving the internet a true free zone but may now go back on this decision.

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This move by the FEC to tighten political activity on the net must be watched very carefully. It’s important to note that this is still in the preliminary stages but in my opinion will be adopted if we let it slide by. It’s understandable that some would want to limit this as the internet is essentially the last bastion of free thought. Of course, it can and is abused but we still have the option of wading through the disinformation to find the truth. In my opinion this is an attempt to eliminate progressive sites that have openly protested against candidates. While I might not agree with many of their views, we need these types of organizations to keep everything in check. My problem is who decides which site is violating the rules. Could a progressive site like “move on” be considered to helpful to the democrats and have restrictions put on them? If we sit back and let the FEC determine what information we can receive on the internet then we have lost the last truly open zone of free speech.

[edit on 14-2-2005 by skychief]

Can you change the title? The FCC is never mentioned, just the FEC.

It looks like this is just an attempt to include spending by candidates on the Internet within Federal elections guidelines.

Great find and great point.

The Internet is a huge threat to the world's rulers - they hold their power by keeping voters ignorant. ...And they have no intention of leaving it open and free, or letting the population educate themselves.

We DO need to be vigilant. This is just the latest in a long line of attempted moves, and it won't be the last.

If this edge of the wedge breaches the wall, blocking the next plays will be even harder.

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Sorry, anytime I hear talk of restrictions and the internet the FCC alarmingly pops into my head. I agree that this could be just an attempt to keep the candidates honest but any kind of restrictions placed on the net scares me. I believe that we could be heading down a dangerous road if we let things like this slide by.

The Abuse of Internet campaign methods needs reform badly...
any step in the right direction is helpful
maybe this new auditing of monies spent will trace e-mail campaign methods back to the originators...

how many people found e-mails in there mailbox rampant with lies and out of context statements, during this last election?...

the internet offers candadates an opportunity to infect the public with authorless smear campaigns that affect voting dramatically...

A certain top bush advisor has been connected to the most vile and unethical campaigns in the history of the US... i wont even mention his name, because he takes names... and will "hurt" critics with no remorse...

to those that want to know... his name is ***L R***

his history is frought with morally debased smears...

in one instance... he actually spread rumors of a leading opposing candidate having a out of wedlock love child... when the reality it was a very generous action of adoption of a third world child...

the news came over the internet like a flood, and of course the morally upright republicans believed the rumors... (afterall, it was on the internet)

Putting flyers on windshields of fundamentalist church goers is another MOD of this player... always bearing some unprovable religiously offending action by the soon to be losing candidate...

this player knows the way the "whispers" can spread

to anyone who wants to understand the nature of political campaigns and how far they have come from the idea of democracy... just watch the movie
BUSH'S BRAIN
you will be disgusted, but no longer naive




[edit on 15-2-2005 by LazarusTheLong]

All true - but given the record, I seriously doubt the Bush administration intends to do anything at all to constrain their own strategies. Looks like this is just a way to hamstring civil organizations and independent media.



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