Update [2005-3-25 13:1:55 by Armando]: Correction on the link to the proposed rules. Here's the
link.
Update [2005-3-25 11:43:40 by Armando]: Mike Krempasky of Red State has gotten a hold of the draft rules and is alarmed.
The FEC proposal to regulate Internet political activity has been given a first cut review:
WASHINGTON, March 24 - The Federal Election Commission on Thursday proposed new ways to apply campaign finance rules to online political activity, inviting members of the public to comment on how the agency should regulate things like online advertising and e-mailed political messages. The proposal, which would primarily address paid political advertising on the Internet, was the first step toward new rules that were mandated by a federal court last year after the commission lost a legal challenge.
. . . The proposal suggests extending campaign finance rules that cover advertising in other media like television to cover Internet advertising as well, meaning, for example, that advertisements could not be bought using unlimited "soft money" contributions in many cases. But it also proposes exemptions for political activity conducted by individual advocates, as well as for Web sites that carry news articles, commentary and editorial content. There are also proposed exemptions for state political parties.
Other provisions seem to indicate that the panel might be leaning away from heavy regulations on most "bloggers," whose online commentary played a major role in last year's election.
The devil is in the details of course. But, unless the soft money ban is significant (I defer to markos on that), nothing described sounds too onerous. But we'll stay on alert.