Every year, thousands of coordinated form-letter campaigns flood federal rulemaking dockets. We detect them so you can see who's behind the noise.
Substantial recent findings
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau received 8,247 nearly identical comments in 2016 supporting the proposed rule on payday, vehicle-title, and certain high-cost installment loans. The campaign argued that without an ability-to-repay requirement, short-term lenders trap borrowers in cycles of rollover fees that can exceed 400% APR.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration received 3,162 nearly identical comments in late 2021 opposing the emergency temporary standard that required large employers to mandate COVID-19 vaccination or weekly testing. The campaign argued that the rule exceeded OSHA's authority over general public-health measures not specific to workplace hazards.
The Federal Trade Commission received 2,318 nearly identical comments in 2023 supporting its proposal to ban most worker non-compete agreements. The campaign argued that non-competes trap low-wage workers in jobs and suppress wages across the labor market.
HHS received 1,847 nearly identical comments in 2019 opposing the proposal to narrow Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. The campaign argued that removing explicit nondiscrimination protections for transgender patients and people with limited English proficiency would block access to care.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau received 1,431 nearly identical comments in 2018 supporting stricter disclosure rules on overdraft programs. The campaign argued that opt-in defaults and per-transaction fees on debit purchases under $5 amount to predatory pricing aimed at low-balance customers.
The Federal Communications Commission received 1,212 nearly identical comments in late 2023 backing the agency's move to restore net neutrality protections. The campaign urged the FCC to classify broadband as a common-carrier service so providers cannot block or throttle lawful traffic.
Dockets we've analyzed
Click any docket to see the full finding.