New FEC Rules May Apply to Web Ads, Bloggers' Endorsements

FEC Considers Restricting Online Political Activities
New Rules May Apply to Web Ads, Bloggers' Endorsements

<snip>The Federal Election Commission has begun considering whether to issue new rules on how political campaigns are waged on the Internet, a regulatory process that is expected to take months to complete but that is already generating considerable angst online.

<snip> The agency is weighing whether -- and how -- to impose restrictions on a host of online activities, including campaign advertising and politically oriented blogs.

<snip> Should bloggers who work for political campaigns, for example, be required to disclose that relationship? Should they include a disclaimer indicating that they were paid by a campaign? What if a campaign supporter links his Web site to a candidate's home page? Is that considered a campaign contribution subject to government regulation? What if an independent blogger endorses a candidate? Or posts a campaign's news release? Are those contributions?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51986-2005Mar20.html