I remember analyzing this data, it’s was pure AstroTurf.
Is it possible to contact the people impersonated so they can sue these companies?
I think individuals would have to prove some sort of damages if they want to win a suit, unfortunately.
Three Companies Impersonated Millions to Influence Internet Policy
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Re: Three Companies Impersonated Millions to Influence Internet Policy
#42They got fined $600k, the telecoms saved billions Pretty good deal if you ask me
Those two things aren't related. This was during a Republican FCC adminstration and Ajit Pai would've repealed net neutrality even if every comment was for it. He doesn't care what public comments say nor does he need to. That not mattering was then canceled out by another not mattering, because California passed the same rules so they effectively apply to everyone anyway.
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Re: Three Companies Impersonated Millions to Influence Internet Policy
#43This is only the tip of the iceberg. A majority of the "user content" (product reviews, brand engagement, comments on social media sites, etc) is completely fake, bought for and paid by big money interest aka bots. No different than automated scans of the IPv4 address space: simple, unsophisticated, low-cost and without any repercussion.
I've been burned to the tune of thousands of dollars because I took star ratings on Google at face value without looking into the actual reviews to see if they were real or not. I still feel like an idiot because of it.
Re: Three Companies Impersonated Millions to Influence Internet Policy
#44This kind of shit is one of the reasons why people stop believing in western democracy.
Public comments aren't votes so they aren't part of democracy. Influencing an unelected official like the FCC chair who gets to rule however he wants isn't democracy.
Democracy is far, far, far more than just mere voting and that fact that you believe this basically just proves the original point.
Re: Three Companies Impersonated Millions to Influence Internet Policy
#45Re: Three Companies Impersonated Millions to Influence Internet Policy
#46Re: Three Companies Impersonated Millions to Influence Internet Policy
#47Re: Three Companies Impersonated Millions to Influence Internet Policy
#48Yesterday I saw a graph of how money these operators make each second, revenue is in billions, a ~600k is like a business trip cost for one of the executives.
Re: Three Companies Impersonated Millions to Influence Internet Policy
#49They got fined $600k, the telecoms saved billions Pretty good deal if you ask me
Those two things aren't related. This was during a Republican FCC adminstration and Ajit Pai would've repealed net neutrality even if every comment was for it. He doesn't care what public comments say nor does he need to. That not mattering was then canceled out by another not mattering, because California passed the same rules so they effectively apply to everyone anyway.
It's also about public sentiment towards the companies and their interests. Comcast, for example, as a long history of trying to silence its critics[1][2].
They want to make their critics look like a minority or as if they don't exist at all, especially when much of the criticism is grassroots and organic from actual telecom customers who are often stuck with a monopoly's service.
[1] https://www.salon.com/2008/06/09/comcast_2/
[2] https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/comcast-accu...