http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/05/22/fec-backs-off-flirtation-with-regulating-internet/?intcmp=latestnewsInternet
Judson Berger
By Judson Berger
Published May 22, 2015
FoxNews.com
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(AP)
Democratic members of the Federal Election Commission on Thursday backed off any consideration of regulating political Internet content, after a public outcry and pressure from Republican colleagues.
The commissioners, in a Washington meeting, sought to calm a controversy that started last fall -- when incoming Chairwoman Ann Ravel said a "re-examination" of the agency's approach to the Internet was "long overdue."
This triggered concerns that the campaign-finance regulator could try targeting YouTube videos and other posts to make sure their creators file spending reports. But after the FEC received thousands of public comments opposing Internet intervention, Ravel stressed Thursday she was "never" proposing any such rules.
"There is no such regulation," Ravel said.
To affirm this, Democratic Commissioner Ellen Weintraub proposed a motion, which Ravel backed, formally excluding "political activity on the internet" from an ongoing regulatory effort concerning contribution limits.
