****UPDATE: The FCC did ultimately approve repealing net neutrality regulations on Thursday.****

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein is one of 18 attorneys general from across the country urging the Federal Communications Commission to delay a vote to repeal net neutrality rules on Thursday.

The attorneys general wrote to FCC leadership that the proposal “has far-reaching implications for the everyday life of Americans.”

Net neutrality was implemented under the administration of President Barack Obama and bans providers from blocking or slowing down websites or apps.

The delay is being requested after an issue was apparently discovered after a review of the public comments submitted to the FCC.

“A careful review of the publicly available information revealed a pattern of fake submissions using the names of real people,” the attorneys general wrote. “In fact, there may be over one million fake submissions from across the country.”

The attorneys general wrote that they value public comment but are also working to protect against identity theft and fraud.

“But, if the well of public comment has been poisoned by falsified submissions, the Commission may be unable to rely on public comments that would help it reach a legitimate conclusion to the rulemaking process,” according to the AG’s. “Or, it must give less weight to the public comments submitted which also undermines the process.”

North Carolina Fourth District Congressman David Price has been a vocal opponent of the proposal to repeal the net neutrality guidelines.

FCC administrators have indicated they will proceed with Thursday’s vote as scheduled. It is expected net neutrality regulations will be repealed through a party-line vote.

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