Comcast allegedy using customer data to post fake anti-net neutrality FCC comments

[Krigaren]

There's an allegation going around that Comcast used the names and addresses of some of their customers (and in some cases, non-customers) in order to submit anti-net neutrality comments to the FCC during the net neutrality comment period.

There's currently a website, Operation Comcastroturf, that is trying to blow the whistle on this issue, with a search bar that allows you to look up your name to see if it's being used.

If Comcast made a fake submission, it reads as such:

The unprecedented regulatory power the Obama Administration imposed on the internet is smothering innovation, damaging the American economy and obstructing job creation. I urge the Federal Communications Commission to end the bureaucratic regulatory overreach of the internet known as Title II and restore the bipartisan light-touch regulatory consensus that enabled the internet to flourish for more than 20 years. The plan currently under consideration at the FCC to repeal Obama's Title II power grab is a positive step forward and will help to promote a truly free and open internet for everyone.

Another example of it:



Comcast has also sent a cease and desist order to comcastastroturf.com, citing that it is "violating Comcast’s valuable intellectual property rights,” and concludes: “Please … take all steps necessary to see that the Domain name is assigned to Comcast."

I personally didn't find anything under my name, but someone sharing my roommate's name popped up with the above quoted fake message.

If this is Comcast, it's a pretty clear indicator as to why regulations are necessary, and why corporations cannot be trusted to do the right thing. If this was Comcast, and even if it came out in full view of the public, they're so large and have such a stranglehold on their service areas that there wouldn't be any free market lash-back.

What I'm really curious about is how wide-spread this is. Any of you fellow US-based MMO-C'ers have your name pop up with a fake FCC comment? What are your thoughts on this?

[Stacyrect]

Checked mine and my families, none of our names are on it.

[KrazyK923]

Nothing for me, but wouldn't surprise me in the slightest to find out Comcast did this.

[Worgar]

my internet instincts are telling me not to enter my info on the off chance i get a slight increase in the amount of spam email i get

[Daethz]

If comcast does start throttling speeds on websites, blocks any website, i highly suggest everyone on earth with a computer hack them and ddos everything they own.
Goes for all ISP's.

Throttling and blocking websites is something a dictator would do, you do not give into dictators, you fight them.

[Powerogue]

So a company that would benefit from the destruction of net neutrality is allegedly using their customers' data to impersonate them for the sake of making it seem like there's more anti net neutrality supporters than there really is?

1) This is cartoon villainy levels of insane
2) wouldn't people notice that the messages are copy+pasted?

[Deleted]

That is certainly a heavy accusation. But I would guess that it is somewhat easy to at least prove that something fishy is going on, if that pre-made letter doesn't come from anywhere know or any organization.

Nevermind, found it: http://cfif.org/v/index.php/press-ro...net-power-grab

[McFuu]

I am not seeing anywhere what this has to do with Comcast. Is there a link as in all discovered fake posts come from Comcast customers?

[Jimson]

I am not seeing anywhere what this has to do with Comcast. Is there a link as in all discovered fake posts come from Comcast customers?

I read the entire front page of the website and it mentions Comcast by name exactly once, at the very end, and even then it doesn't specifically say that they're the ones responsible. Not sure how "telecom companies" morphed into "Comcast did this" and a website with a shitty play on words.

[Sergar]

You can use this website to see if anyone has posted any comments to the FCC in your name. They are looking for people that have been used for astroturf so they can try to figure out who, exactly, is responsible.

https://www.comcastroturf.com/

[Deleted]

If true then that's gonna be one hell of a class action lawsuit.

[Noomz]

There's an allegation going around that Comcast used the names and addresses of some of their customers (and in some cases, non-customers) in order to submit anti-net neutrality comments to the FCC during the net neutrality comment period.

There's currently a website, Operation Comcastroturf, that is trying to blow the whistle on this issue, with a search bar that allows you to look up your name to see if it's being used.

If Comcast made a fake submission, it reads as such:



Another example of it:



Comcast has also sent a cease and desist order to comcastastroturf.com, citing that it is "violating Comcast’s valuable intellectual property rights,” and concludes: “Please … take all steps necessary to see that the Domain name is assigned to Comcast."

I personally didn't find anything under my name, but someone sharing my roommate's name popped up with the above quoted fake message.

If this is Comcast, it's a pretty clear indicator as to why regulations are necessary, and why corporations cannot be trusted to do the right thing. If this was Comcast, and even if it came out in full view of the public, they're so large and have such a stranglehold on their service areas that there wouldn't be any free market lash-back.

What I'm really curious about is how wide-spread this is. Any of you fellow US-based MMO-C'ers have your name pop up with a fake FCC comment? What are your thoughts on this?

This is why other countries have a democratically elected government, to help protect them from private interests that want to infringe of their freedoms. Regulation is to keep this shit from happening, with a single company holding millions of customers hostage because they have no alternative.

[Jipples]

My family has a fake comment in the exact same style posted on the FCC site.

[Symphonic]

My name comes up with a similar comment, but a wrong address. Completely different state, etc. I'm guessing there's another person with my name this has been done to.

[Krigaren]

I am not seeing anywhere what this has to do with Comcast. Is there a link as in all discovered fake posts come from Comcast customers?

That's why it's an allegation. All that's known is that a botter is doing it, but seems to be primarily the names and addresses of Comcast customers that are being used to make the fake posts. The logical assumption is that the ones who have that information - Comcast - are responsible.

If they're not responsible, there might be some interesting fallout regarding Comcast's use of their user's information that allowed it to fall into the hands of someone else, or fallout on the use of customer data in general if it's able to be used in a political manner like this and against the wishes of those individuals.

Either way, it's super sketch and someone should be held accountable.

[Gaidax]

If this shit is true... waaw... that's gonna be fun.

[McFuu]

That's why it's an allegation. All that's known is that a botter is doing it, but seems to be primarily the names and addresses of Comcast customers that are being used to make the fake posts. The logical assumption is that the ones who have that information - Comcast - are responsible.

If they're not responsible, there might be some interesting fallout regarding Comcast's use of their user's information that allowed it to fall into the hands of someone else, or fallout on the use of customer data in general if it's able to be used in a political manner like this and against the wishes of those individuals.

Either way, it's super sketch and someone should be held accountable.

That is a comically huge leap of logic that says Comcast is the one doing it. I'm not trying to defend Comcast here, because I really don't like them as an ISP, but... This isn't an allegation, it's a lie. Allegations require some kind of link, this has none.