Feds regulating blogs

[medeak]

crickey can't believe the news today.

Watch out everyone... we're losing the internet

http://news.com.com/The+coming+crackdown+on+blogging/2008-1028_3-5597079.html?tag=st.prev

[FreedomAngel82]

1. Is this serious?

Bye bye freedom of speech. It's been nice knowing you!

[medeak]

2. here you go

apologies...should have put some text down..

In just a few months, he warns, bloggers and news organizations could risk the wrath of the federal government if they improperly link to a campaign's Web site. Even forwarding a political candidate's press release to a mailing list, depending on the details, could be punished by fines.

[tridim]

3. BS BS BS.. Blogs can say and link to whatever they want

Any other ruling is unconsitutional. Get ready to fight DU.

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. Good one, LOL

since no money is involved and both sides do it, this is going to go over like a lead balloon.

[AnnInLa]

4. More

Bradley Smith says that the freewheeling days of political blogging and online punditry are over.

In just a few months, he warns, bloggers and news organizations could risk the wrath of the federal government if they improperly link to a campaign's Web site. Even forwarding a political candidate's press release to a mailing list, depending on the details, could be punished by fines.

Smith should know. He's one of the six commissioners at the Federal Election Commission, which is beginning the perilous process of extending a controversial 2002 campaign finance law to the Internet.

In 2002, the FEC exempted the Internet by a 4-2 vote, but U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly last fall overturned that decision. "The commission's exclusion of Internet communications from the coordinated communications regulation severely undermines" the campaign finance law's purposes, Kollar-Kotelly wrote.

Smith and the other two Republican commissioners wanted to appeal the Internet-related sections. But because they couldn't get the three Democrats to go along with them, what Smith describes as a "bizarre" regulatory process now is under way.

http://news.com.com/The+coming+crackdown+on+blogging/2008-1028_3-5597079.html?tag=st.prev

[katinmn]

6. this isn't gonna go over well if enforced.

And it won't last long. They are so naieve.

[jdots]

7. This has been coming maybe

it will be hard to pass and harder to put into effect,the right wing fringe hate groups will probably be allowed to keep doing thier thing ( who knows ) the porn industry because it is probably owned and backed by neocons and fundys ( ? )
Not only do they want to take our freedom of speech,they want to take our freedom of thought.This is where they are dead wrong, we won't stop thinking but some of us might have to die for our freedom of speech. Fuck them I am ready and won't go peacefully which hurts because peace is what this is all about.

[Stirk]

8. Doesn't take 'em long to fight the important stuff, does it?

I mean- things like open dialogue.

[fooj]

9. Those bastards know that if anyone brings them down, the bloggers will!

I don't think they figured us into their cozy little equation. What will the notorious Boy-Toy do if he can't spew his hatred and BS all over the internet? LMAO!

[Fovea]

10. this will be a sucking morass

that will be a free fire zone.

Horribly unworkable, and prone to abuse.

[Tsiyu]

11. Wow. Freedom of speech might be a good idea

We should revisit the concept. :wtf:

[medeak]

12. what's next bumper stickers?

liked that comment....

[CoffeeCat]

13. How could this possibly be enforceable?

There's no way they can police the entire Internet.

I imagine the left and the right would be equally disturbed by this.

Am I understanding this correctly?
If I set up a harmless little political blog, and invite visitors to share their email address--and then if I forward, to my visitors, political press releases that are released by a candidates' campaign----then I would be in violation of campaign finance laws.

Is that right?

[dzika]

14. Video - FEC to regulate Internet political speech

mentioned on CNN this afternoon



Video in Real Media format (3 minutes)