US mulls rules for online political activity

[KiwiCoromandel]

US mulls rules for online political activity

March 25, 2005

The US Federal Election Commission took its first step on Thursday in extending campaign finance controls to political activity on the internet, asking for public input on limited regulations for the medium.

Commissioner Ellen Weintraub, who took the lead on drafting proposals with vice-chairman Michael Toner, described the steps as "restrained." The commission emphasised a hands-off approach to bloggers, or authors of web logs, among the loudest and unruliest voices online.

"We are not the speech police," said Weintraub, a Democrat. "The FEC does not tell private citizens what they can or cannot say, on the internet, or elsewhere."

The draft guidelines suggest applying limits that exist in other media to certain political advertising on the web and political spam email.

The six-member commission approved a work in progress and invited public comment for 60 days before a hearing in June. Republican David Mason was the sole dissenter.

The commission said it was exploring internet regulation reluctantly - as it was ordered to do so by a court - and with the lightest touch possible, exempting everything except certain kinds of paid political advertising.

But the Centre for Individual Freedom, a non-profit advocacy group, said any regulation was too much.

Read more........

http://smh.com.au/news/Breaking/US-mulls-r...1692608961.html

[slum_goddess]

Republican David Mason was the sole dissenter.

why am i not surprised?