WP: FEC Signals Light Hand On Internet Campaigning

FEC Signals Light Hand On Internet Campaigning

By Brian Faler
Special to The Washington Post
Thursday, March 24, 2005; Page A08


The Federal Election Commission revealed yesterday that it plans to take what one of its commissioners termed a "relatively nonintrusive" approach to regulating political campaigns on the Internet.

The agency, which is beginning to consider how and whether to restrict blogs, e-mail and other online activities, released a document describing the legal issues it plans to tackle over the next several months.

Its "notice of proposed rulemaking," as it is known, indicates that the FEC is focusing much of its attention on whether to apply federal contribution limits on online political advertising campaigns. It also indicates that the six-member panel has not decided to impose, but is leaning against imposing, restrictions on independent bloggers or bloggers who work for political campaigns....

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Commissioner Bradley A. Smith (R) sparked a firestorm in the blogosphere earlier this month when he suggested that the agency might begin regulating bloggers who back political candidates. Since then, several other FEC commissioners, who oppose the idea, have taken their views to the news media....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61433-2005Mar23.html

will they use the same software China uses :shrug:

peace