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Was Your Name Stolen To Support Killing Net Neutrality? (dslreports.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from DSLReports: New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has launched a new tool for users interested in knowing whether their identity was stolen and used to fraudulently support the FCC's attack on popular net neutrality rules. The NY AG's office announced earlier this month that it was investigating identity theft and comment fraud during the FCC's public comment period. Researchers have noted repeatedly how "someone" used a bot to fill the comment proceeding with bogus support for the FCC plan, with many of the names being those of folks who'd never heard of net neutrality -- or were even dead. The new AG tool streamlines the act of searching the FCC proceeding for comments filed falsely in your name, and lets you contribute your findings to the AG's ongoing investigation into identity theft.

"Such conduct likely violates state law -- yet the FCC has refused multiple requests for crucial evidence in its sole possession that is vital to permit that law enforcement investigation to proceed," noted Schneiderman. "We reached out for assistance to multiple top FCC officials, including you, three successive acting FCC General Counsels, and the FCC's Inspector General. We offered to keep the requested records confidential, as we had done when my office and the FCC shared information and documents as part of past investigative work." "Yet we have received no substantive response to our investigative requests," stated the AG. "None." As such, the AG is taking its fight to the public itself.

10 of 128 comments (clear)

  1. Checking by Translation+Error · · Score: 4, Funny

    *click*
    Oh, my god--a hit! *click*
    It has my actual address! I can't believe someone used my name to post a comment ... in favor of net neutrality? Oh... right. Yeah, that was me. Never mind.

    --
    When someone says, "Any fool can see ..." they're usually exactly right.
  2. What the actual crap by EnigmaticSource · · Score: 2

    Yep, got me here too; even though I have a previous accepted, disseminated comment supporting the Title II restrictions. Funny though how the duplicate got nearly everything right, except where I actually live, and that I might actually not be braindead.

    I shouldn't say I'm surprised, I'm not, just oh, oh so jaded.

    --
    The Geek in Black
    I know my BCD's (when I'm Sober)
    1. Re:What the actual crap by EnigmaticSource · · Score: 2

      Naw, and California's naming conventions (and official paperwork) put a stop to that; It's a shame really Little double-dash, wildcard and backtick would have it so much easier if they didn't have to write their names out in longhand.

      --
      The Geek in Black
      I know my BCD's (when I'm Sober)
  3. Re:Are they ALL under investigation ? by Ungrounded+Lightning · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Is there ANYONE in the Trump administration, or being appointed by Trump, that is NOT under investigation for some thing or another?

    Being investigated doesn't mean squat - other than that somebody in power feels like seeing if they can find anything that can be used to cause you trouble.

    Been there. Had that done to me. (Try protesting the military draft while doing classified research some time.)

    --
    Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
  4. This is absurd by FlamingGuts · · Score: 2

    My 90 year old grandparents are both on this list... They don't even own a computer, smart phones, or have an internet connection, but apparently they have very strong opinions about the internet's future!

  5. Re:I checked and by Dale512 · · Score: 2

    I was not on the list but my mother was. Name, address, the works. She doesn't even know what NN is.

  6. Gotta love politics by SlaveToTheGrind · · Score: 2

    Eric Schneiderman, who is on record characterizing voter fraud as an "imaginary problem," has decided to beat his chest and make political hay out of the idea that people may have misappropriated identities for something that wasn't even a vote . I wish I could say I was surprised.

  7. Online polls are not reliable by Karmashock · · Score: 2

    doesn't matter if the feds are running it or not.

    there were bogus names FOR and AGAINST NN.

    Trying to figure out how many people support it or don't support it is not possibly by looking at the FCC's polling.

    And more importantly, does anyone really care?

    Let us say for the sake of argument that the polling were totally 100 percent accurate... would that change anyone's opinion on the matter? Nope. So why does it matter when its a dumpster fire? It doesn't.

    Its a joke.

    There is corruption on the issue everywhere. For AND against are both corrupt.

    There are arguments to do it either way for various reasons.

    The FOR campaign can point to bad behavior by monopolistic agencies that abuse consumers.

    The AGAINST campaign can point to bad behavior by monopolistic agencies that abuse consumers.

    BOTH sides accuse the other of being in the pocket of billion dollar mega corporations.

    Consider that NN and anti-NN are both right at the same time for the same reason. Consider that the corruption is bigger and thus encompasses both positions at once.

    --
    I've decided to stop wasting my time responding to AC trolls/sockpuppets... so if you want a response from me... login.
  8. For Net Neutrality by kaoshin · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I don't care what the other hundred fake me's might have spammed, here's the deal. I and most of my friends are conservative southerners, some more hardcore than others. A group of us had a discussion today on this and I was expecting to clash with them on the issue, but surprising enough, everyone seemed to be in unanimous agreement that Ajit Pai's argument was flawed or at least that ending net neutrality was bad. Some of us also find it concerning that particular republicans who were otherwise thought to be a voice of reason are on board with abolishing net neutrality, and that leaves us kind of conflicted.

    Not sure where I heard this, but I remember a saying to the effect of... yall can do whatever you want to Americans, but don't ever get between their couch and their T.V. I kind of feel for similar reasons, railroading this could really backfire for Republicans. IMO, ending neutraility probably won't last because it would create too much of an uproar, but you can bet Republicans will have a hard time living down the mess from trying. This all doesn't make a lick of sense to me except that this guy is a crook. They need to drain this dude at the FCC with the rest of the swamp as far as I'm concerned. This whole thing stinks like a load of crap if you ask me.

    1. Re:For Net Neutrality by kaoshin · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Corruption isn't strictly a republican problem last time I checked, and voting for Hillary clearly wouldn't have served my interest in ending corruption. Chairman Pai was after all originally appointed by Obama, who was just as beholden to special interests as anybody.