It seems that the FEC has stepped up to the plate and done the right thing. As much as it could that is. The ruling has long been anticipated, and in some corners dreaded, on how McCain-Feingold would impact bloggers during election periods.
The FEC's final Internet regulations adopted on Monday are less onerous than an earlier version. Here's what they say:
• Paid political advertising appearing on someone else's Web site would have to be reported, regardless of how little or how much it costs. But that responsibility would lie with the candidate, political party or committee backing the ad--not a Web site accepting the ads.
• All ads that expressly advocate the election or defeat of a candidate or solicit donations would have to carry disclaimers.
• Bloggers and other individual commentators wouldn't have to disclose payments received from candidates, political parties or campaign committees--but those groups would have to report payments to bloggers.
• No one except registered political committees would be required to put disclaimers on political e-mailings or Web sites. The e-mail requirement would kick in only if the committee sent out more than 500 substantially similar unsolicited messages at a time.
• The media exemption enjoyed by traditional news outlets would be extended to "any Internet or electronic publication," which could include everything from online presences of major media companies to individual bloggers.
2 of the Commissioners want congress to revisit McCain-Feingold and specifically exempt the Internet. While that would be the best solution, I think the commissioners did a pretty good job with these regulations.