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by AGSchneiderman
3123 days ago
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I’m glad you asked – this report is really telling. It’s been reported that this study was paid for by Broadband for America, which counts many big ISPs as members. Yet even this study found massive flaws in the comments, including about 8 million comments using made-up identities. Also revealing, is its findings about the approximately 1.5 million comments that were personalized, meaning someone felt so strongly about the issue they went to the extra trouble to write a unique comment themselves (versus, say, signing a petition – which is certainly valid but less labor-intensive). Of those 1.5 million personalized comments, 98.5% were pro-neutrality. |
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I think those numbers point to their study attempting to be open about their findings, despite being commissioned by ISPs. However concerning is they found quite a few faked email addresses with foreign domains --people who even if real should have little to say how we govern our telecoms.
Nonetheless my question remains concerning the virtual triumvirate controlling what is acceptable and non acceptable public opinion, given they are the new voice of the hoi polloi. We have to find a way to ensure people's right to voice an opinion isn't virtually infringed by having a de facto triumvirate establishing what is and isn't accepted as public discourse, given they have very specific corporate agenda which could run counter to public opinion.