FCC to Exempt Blog Comments from Title II Proceedings

The Federal Communications Commission has warned anybody who weighs in on an FCC blog about its plan to reclassify broadband under Title II regulation between June 10 and 17 will not have their comments taken into account in deciding how to put the final touches on the high-profile item.

That is because it would fall into the seven-day sunshine period before the FCC takes action on an item during which ex parte comments and meetings about it are off limits. Since the FCC decided it would start taking blog comments into account as official comments in its proceedings, it also has to discount them during that period. The FCC gave that notice June 10 in announcing what everybody already knew, that it would launch its inquiry into possible legal frameworks for broadband Internet regulation" in order to promote innovation and investment, protect and empower consumers, and bring the "benefits of broadband to all Americans."