The Federal Election Commission and Individual Internet Sites After Shays and Meehan v. FEC by Matthew Fagan

This paper looks at a recent spate of legislation, rulemaking and litigation that has thrown a shadown over the use of the internet by private individuals during political campaigns. The US Federal Electoral Commission is currently debating whether to regulate political commentary on the internet or maintain a hands-off approach. If Congress and the FEC choose to exempt the internet from regulation, bloggers and other commentators will continue their participation unfettered. But if the FEC promulgates any rule governing political speech online, no matter how unobtrusive, everyone who posts an opinion about an election on a website will have to first consider whether that speech falls within the FEC’s rules, and second whether it complies with their regulations.

The Federal Election Commission and Individual Internet Sites After Shays and Meehan v. FEC by Matthew Fagan
This paper looks at a recent spate of legislation, rulemaking and litigation that has thrown a shadown over the use of the internet by private individuals during political campaigns. The US Federal Electoral Commission is currently debating whether to regulate political commentary on the internet or maintain a hands-off approach. If Congress and the FEC choose to exempt the internet from regulation, bloggers and other commentators will continue their participation unfettered. But if the FEC promulgates any rule governing political speech online, no matter how unobtrusive, everyone who posts an opinion about an election on a website will have to first consider whether that speech falls within the FEC’s rules, and second whether it complies with their regulations.
http://www.bu.edu/law/central/jd/organizations/journals/scitech/volume121/documents/Fagan_EIC_WEBformat.pdf

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