Dark Money Group NoGovInternet's Secret Campaign Against UTOPIA Fiber Collective
"Private ISPs Use 'Dark Money' to Lobby Against Municipal Broadband: A Growing Trend"
A new "dark money" group, NoGovInternet, backed by private ISPs, is leveraging $1 million to dissuade cities and towns from joining the Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency (UTOPIA) fiber collective through TV ad campaigns. This aligns with a broader pattern where private ISPs utilize 501(c)(4) "social welfare organizations" to anonymously oppose municipal broadband. Gigi Sohn, executive director of the American Association for Public Broadband, condemns this covert approach, emphasizing the distortion of FCC nominees' records by cable lobbyists and dark money entities.
Key Takeaways
- Municipal broadband networks have surfaced due to private ISPs' inability to meet communities' broadband requirements.
- Anonymously funded entities, potentially linked to private ISPs, utilize "dark money" to campaign against public broadband initiatives.
- The Domestic Policy Caucus, a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, recently expended $1 million on an anti-UTOPIA fiber collective campaign in Utah.
- 501(c)(4) groups, such as the Domestic Policy Caucus, engage in political endeavors without mandatorily revealing their contributors, complicating the identification of backers.
- The surge in municipal broadband adoption during the pandemic prompts private ISPs to revise their lobbying strategies, including deploying clandestine funding campaigns.
Analysis
Private ISPs, concerned about municipal broadband addressing communities' needs, clandestinely oppose it through "dark money" groups like NoGovInternet, which heavily funded a campaign against UTOPIA in Utah. Leveraging 501(c)(4) entities, which engage in politics covertly, enables private ISPs to exert discreet influence on policy formation. This trend might intensify as municipal broadband gains traction, potentially distorting FCC nominee records and affecting policy transparency, resulting in diminished public trust in private ISPs and influencing regulatory modifications favoring private interests. Gigi Sohn advocates for transparency and accountability in lobbying, emphasizing the need to counter secretive tactics.
Did You Know?
- Municipal Broadband Networks
- These are broadband systems owned and operated by local governments, often in response to inadequate service from private ISPs.
- 501(c)(4) Social Welfare Organizations
- These organizations are designated by the IRS as social welfare organizations, allowing them to engage in political activity without disclosing their donors, making it challenging to identify their supporters.
- Dark Money
- Refers to political spending by undisclosed donors, making it difficult to determine who is behind a particular political campaign or message. This tactic allows groups to campaign against initiatives like municipal broadband without revealing their backers.