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FCC ignored your net neutrality comment unless you made ‘serious’ legal argument

theverge.com

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Re: FCC ignored your net neutrality comment unless you made ‘serious’ legal argument

#2
According to the article, the FCC received 22 million comments. If they spent a modest 2 minutes per comment - that would be 83 man years of time to process the comments. They obviously need to filter it down. For a system with no meaningful requirements to comment or even proof of uniqueness, quantity says absolutely nothing and fraud is a given. Even if we were able to prove uniqueness -- how should informal internet petitions, which will almost certainly not be representative of any population, be viewed?

So it makes one kind of wonder, what would be a reasonable alternative? Without proposing any viable alternatives, this article just feels like ragebaiting.

Re: FCC ignored your net neutrality comment unless you made ‘serious’ legal argument

#3

According to the article, the FCC received 22 million comments. If they spent a modest 2 minutes per comment - that would be 83 man years of time to process the comments. They obviously need to filter it down. For a system with no meaningful requirements to comment or even proof of uniqueness, quantity says absolutely nothing and fraud is a given. Even if we were able to prove uniqueness -- how should informal intern…

I wonder how many comments they received with > n words, for, say, n = 10.

Re: FCC ignored your net neutrality comment unless you made ‘serious’ legal argument

#4
I used to work at a federal agency processing these comments. This practice is not new or unique to FCC. There is a segment of the population who respond to just about ever request for comment the federal government puts out. I think more should be done to cut down on bots. The legal argument thing seems a bit pompous. I've never heard that before and I've reviewed, and filed, a lot of comments.

Unfortunately the FCC's action was predetermined and the result long ago decided. Comments will not change that - BUT if you have filed a legal comment, you can used that to sue later.

Re: FCC ignored your net neutrality comment unless you made ‘serious’ legal argument

#6

According to the article, the FCC received 22 million comments. If they spent a modest 2 minutes per comment - that would be 83 man years of time to process the comments. They obviously need to filter it down. For a system with no meaningful requirements to comment or even proof of uniqueness, quantity says absolutely nothing and fraud is a given. Even if we were able to prove uniqueness -- how should informal intern…

The simplest explanation is that Pai coordinates with the ISPs to stuff the comment boxes with spam so they would have a justification for ignoring them; courts have occasionally struck down rules because agencies didn’t properly consider public input.

That’s because the conclusion was foregone: Pai will do what his benefactors want then sail to a cushy consulting job as a reward for his work.

Re: FCC ignored your net neutrality comment unless you made ‘serious’ legal argument

#8

I used to work at a federal agency processing these comments. This practice is not new or unique to FCC. There is a segment of the population who respond to just about ever request for comment the federal government puts out. I think more should be done to cut down on bots. The legal argument thing seems a bit pompous. I've never heard that before and I've reviewed, and filed, a lot of comments. Unfortunately the FCC…

How does one file a legal comment?

Re: FCC ignored your net neutrality comment unless you made ‘serious’ legal argument

#9
This isn’t a surprise: comments are meant to ensure that rule-making agencies consider relevant information before making a final decision; they aren’t an opinion poll.

See the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. § 553(c):

After notice required by this section, the agency shall give interested persons an opportunity to participate in the rule making through submission of written data, views, or arguments with or without opportunity for oral presentation. After consideration of the relevant matter presented, the agency shall incorporate in the rules adopted a concise general statement of their basis and purpose.

Re: FCC ignored your net neutrality comment unless you made ‘serious’ legal argument

#10
post #5

If (when?) net neutrality ends we can crowd fund ISPs to slow down the tubes coming out of our political establishments.

Why would Verizon or Comcast agree to do that? The ISPs are the one's pushing to have these kinds of consumer protections removed in the first place. They're not going to start a campaign of harassment against those who agree with them just because you made a kickstarter saying you'd get ISPs to agree to it.
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