“However, nearly every lead generator that was hired to enroll consumers in the campaign instead simply fabricated consumers’ responses. As a result, more than 8.5 million fake comments that impersonated real people were submitted to the FCC, and more than half a million fake letters were sent to Congress.”
The broadband industry paid lead generators to fake public support for killing net neutrality, and 8.5 million forged comments landed at the FCC. LCX and Lead ID each fabricated 1.5 million people. The penalty for all three firms is $615,000 combined, about four cents per stolen identity. The broadband companies that funded the campaign got the repeal they paid for.