FC: FEC weighs regulations on Internet campaigning

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

See also:

"Run a political web site, go to jail? FEC rules challenged..."
http://www.politechbot.com/p-00685.html

"More on run a political web site, go to jail"
http://www.politechbot.com/p-00686.html

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http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,51217,00.html

   Figuring Out E-lection Reform
   By Declan McCullagh and Robert Zarate
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   2:00 a.m. March 21, 2002 PST
   WASHINGTON -- The Federal Election Commission met Wednesday to puzzle
   out how to regulate websites and hyperlinks that endorse politicians
   seeking federal office.
   
   During a four-hour hearing, the FEC's six commissioners expressed
   tentative support for a set of regulations (PDF) that would control
   how individuals, corporations and labor unions may use the Internet
   for election-related purposes.
   
   [...]
   
   In the nine-page proposal, published last October, the FEC suggested
   that it will be acceptable:
   
     * For individuals to use "equipment, software, Internet services or
       Internet domain names" to agitate for or against a candidate in a
       federal election.
     * To create hyperlinks from corporate or union websites "for no
       charge or for a nominal charge." The fine print, however, says
       that the text or images that are part of the link must follow
       existing regulations covering "express advocacy" of candidates.
     * For corporations and unions to post press releases endorsing a
       candidate on their websites.
     * Any corporation or union would be prohibited from posting "express
       advocacy materials such as banner advertisements for a candidate
       on its website."

   [...]



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