Federal Lawsuit Filed by the New York Times Against FCC Over Concealment of Russian Influence in the Dissolution of Net Neutrality Rules
In a significant development, The New York Times has taken legal action against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over allegations that the regulatory body unlawfully hid data concerning its system for gathering public input about its plan to kill net neutrality.
The lawsuit, filed earlier this year, contends that the FCC failed to provide requested data on originating IP addresses, timestamps, user-agent headers, and other details related to the comments submitted during the public comment period. This data is crucial for investigating possible Russian manipulation of the FCC's comment procedure, as well as understanding the extent of bot activity in the system.
The FCC's system was reportedly overwhelmed during the public comment period, with as many as 75,000 comments submitted in a single second. Concerns have been raised that as many as 2 million comments were fraudulently submitted in other people's names without their knowledge. According to the Pew Research Foundation, 57% of comments submitted to the FCC regarding its proposed rule were submitted using duplicate or temporary email accounts. Some of these automated messages were traced back to Russia.
The FCC's decision to end net neutrality, which was voted on last year, allows internet service providers to block, slow down, or charge extra for certain content. The New York Times' lawsuit comes as a response to the FCC's alleged failure to provide transparency and accountability in its decision-making process.
In response to the lawsuit, the FCC has yet to comment publicly. The New York Times, however, has stated that it will continue to pursue the matter in court to ensure that the public's voice is heard and that the decision-making process is fair and transparent.
This is not the first time The New York Times has taken legal action against the FCC. Previous Freedom of Information Act requests, aimed at obtaining data related to the net neutrality comment period, have been denied by the FCC. In response, The New York Times filed a lawsuit to compel the FCC to disclose the requested data pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act.
As the case unfolds, it remains to be seen whether the FCC will be compelled to disclose the data it has withheld, and whether the allegations of unlawful behavior will be substantiated. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the future of net neutrality and the role of public input in regulatory decision-making.
- The lawsuit filed by The New York Times against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) revolves around cybersecurity and data-and-cloud-computing, as the FCC is accused of withholding critical data that could reveal Russian manipulation of its comment procedure for net neutrality.
- The alleged unlawful actions by the FCC in withholding data have raised concerns in the realm of policy-and-legislation and politics, as the move is seen as a hindrance to transparency and accountability in the decision-making process regarding net neutrality.
- The general news landscape is closely watching the legal battle between The New York Times and the FCC, as the outcome could set a precedent for future regulatory decision-making and the role of public input in technology policy.
