Net Neutrality, FCC Faked Comments, and Networks
This article is a summary of a study about the comments that the FCC is using in their argument to repeal net neutrality. It details what data methods they used to conduct their study and what they consider matching or similar. Right now, I’m very interested in Net Neutrality. This is because I use a lot of bandwidth streaming, and on a personal level I would like my Netflix bill to stay the same. On a larger, more fundamental and philosophical level, I don’t like the possibility of manipulation of data channels to create a curated atmosphere on the internet.
It’s very scary that someone was able to use technology to manipulate the FCC website. Even more astounding is the speed with which the copying and fake accounts were detected. I think that this specific study shows the power struggle of good and bad technology, and that there really isn’t a clear answer about which side of technology is pure or evil.
From a policy standpoint, net neutrality relates to Networks in many ways. Net neutrality allows for certain types of data to be blocked or monetarily penalized to reduce traffic, and this could severely change the way that Page Rank and Network Traffic works and would allow large companies to more easily collude and shape the internet to their liking. Additionally, it could effect the way networks function by creating barriers between nodes that represent financial boundaries between users creating new Threshold rules depending on how net neutrality repeals are enacted and taken advantage of.
The comments are worrying because it can start an inaccurate information cascade. Millions of comments were copied or from the same email, but someone with a less discerning eye could think that a specific thought was an accurate and popular idea. This in turn could motivate them to spread the idea without knowing the accuracy and popularity of it. Worst case scenario the FCC repeals net neutrality based on these replicated comments.