State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman updated his investigation into phony comments made to the FCC over its vote Thursday to repeal net neutrality protections and found over 2 million Americans have been affected.
Over 100,000 comments per state from New York, Florida, Texas and California were made by internet users without their permission, according to the attorney general and some 5,000 people have alerted his office with specific examples.
“This person is my aunt. She never filed this. She is an elderly woman; someone is using her identification,” a person from the Bronx told his office.
The agency did not provide a comment to Schneiderman’s update.
FCC chairman Ajit Pai said the agency will undo the 2015 regulations that prevented internet service providers, or ISPs, from enacting policies on its customers, such as speed throttling and preferences to specific sites and apps.
He has contended the regulations have prevented ISPs from innovation, however advocates argue it will ultimately make internet access unequal.
Schneiderman has called for the vote to be delayed until the phony net neutrality comment investigation is resolved. He has urged people to see if their names were used without their permission and report it to his office by visiting ag.ny.gov/fakecomments.
