FCC will aid hunt for fake ‘net’ nuts

ALBANY — The Federal Communications Commission inspector general’s office on Monday changed course by agreeing to assist state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in a probe into fake comments submitted during a public comment period on net neutrality.

“Federal law guarantees every American a voice in shaping our policies,” Schneiderman said. “But my office’s investigation found that this process was deeply corrupted — with 1 million comments that may have been submitted using real people’s stolen identities.”

Schneiderman has the support of one FCC commissioner, Jessica Rosenworcel, who said “the integrity of the public record matters.”

She said about half a million of the fake comments — backing the FCC’s proposed repeal of net neutrality — came from Russian email addresses.