Campaigning On The Links

Communications Today, Jan 7, 2000

The Electronic Privacy Information Center has petitioned the Federal Election Commission not to consider private politically related Web pages campaign contributions. The FEC is taking comments on the issue after complaints that Web pages supporting particular candidates were "payments in kind" requiring regulation. The commission is even considering whether to regulate hypertext links to candidates' pages as payments in kind.

"Regulating speech on the Internet could deter the individual and grassroots efforts that would possibly gain visibility only on the Web," EPIC Policy Fellow Dori Kornfeld wrote the commission. "Just as individuals can hang banners on their front yards or post bumper stickers on their car, they should be able to express their viewpoints on the Web free of reporting obligations or abstract cost assessments." The scrutiny comes as national candidates are discovering the Web as a fund-raising source. Former Sen. Bill Bradley has been particularly successful at Web fund-raising.