A report from the office of New York Attorney General Leticia James found that the broadband industry financed an effort to influence the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to vote down net neutrality regulations.

According to the report, released Friday, the “broadband industry funded six companies that engaged in illegal activity and impersonated millions of Americans.”  The report found the companies paid $4.2 million for the companies to generate more than 8.5 million comments to lobby the Commission against rules that would require internet service providers to treat all websites equal access to bandwidth.

Net neutrality would have also classified internet service providers as “key to the economy and society” under the 1934 Communications Act, putting them under FCC regulation. 

“Americans voices are being drowned out by masses of fake comments and messages being submitted to the government to sway decision-making,” said Attorney General James. “Instead of actually looking for real responses from the American people, marketing companies are luring vulnerable individuals to their websites with freebies, co-opting their identities, and fabricating responses that giant corporations are then using to influence the polices and laws that govern our lives.

“But, today, we are taking action to root out this fraud and the impersonation that has been corrupting the process for far too long. From net neutrality rules to laws affecting criminal justice reform, health care, and more, these fake comments have simply been generated to influence too many government policies, which is why we are cracking down on this illegal and deceptive behavior. My office will continue to shine a spotlight on abuses and disinformation and ensure those who break the law are held accountable.”