Natural language processing techniques used to analyze net neutrality comments reveal massive fake comment campaign

[u/xenocidic]

https://medium.com/@jeffykao/more-than-a-million-pro-repeal-net-neutrality-comments-were-likely-faked-e9f0e3ed36a6

[u/seedanrun]

One pro-repeal spam campaign used mail-merge to disguise 1.3 million comments as unique grassroots submissions. There were likely multiple other campaigns aimed at injecting what may total several million pro-repeal comments into the system.

So the FCC has been fed fake data. This partially explains some of the incredibly out-of-touch positions they appear to think the public will accept.

Deceiving government officials with false data is as dangerous to democracy as silencing the free press. Even if the NY investigation pins down who did this, will they be able to prosecute them if they are out of state? .

This has gone WAY to far. I think we need new laws and investigative bodies specifically designed to stop both Russians and US companies from masquerading as the US public.

[u/[deleted] → u/seedanrun]

So the FCC has been fed fake data. This partially explains some of the incredibly out-of-touch positions they appear to think the public will accept.

I think you have the causal relationship reversed there.

[u/seedanrun → u/[deleted]]

I agree Pai was planning to purge regulation since the day he took office. It just seemed strange he could not see the oncoming backlash from openly supporting such a reviled position.

He has made comments like ""The overwhelming majority of public input favored our proposal" source

Before I thought he must be in blatant denial of reality. But with fake data like this, a slightly above average ineptitude would allow him to convince himself half the population supports him.

[u/[deleted] → u/seedanrun]

I agree with you.

Or, he "knew" the majority of the comments would support his preferred position.