Petition posted by SEC as File No. 4-605!
Great news: the SEC has posted the petition to their website, as File No. 4-605. See http://www.sec.gov/rules/petitions.shtml to see it listed, and http://www.sec.gov/rules/petitions/2010/petn4-605.pdf for the petition itself. So now it's time to spread the word and get those comments in! Here's how to submit comments, which should appear on the SEC's website within a few business days: 1. Email the SEC at: rule-comments@sec.gov
2. In the subject line write "Re: File # 4-605"
3. In the body of the email write "These are comments in regards to a petition for rulemaking change." If you look at the SEC's "How to Submit Comments" page (http://www.sec.gov/rules/submitcomments.htm), disregard the references there referring to an online form, or file numbers beginning with "S7-" or "SR-" -- these are for proposals issued by the SEC, not public petitions like ours. (Thanks to Mitch Silverman and Seth Elliott for clarifying these instructions!) If you like, you can also CC (or BCC) the message to comments at crowdfundinglaw dot com -- this is just for me to archive what's been sent, to see if anything isn't making it onto the SEC site. Explain in your own words what you think of the idea and what your personal interest in it is. Fine with me whether you're for it, against it, or somewhere in between-- the main thing is just to encourage the SEC to consider this issue and open a dialog. Note that if you cut and paste, they will designate your letter as an example of a "Type" (e.g. http://www.sec.gov/comments/4-547/4547typea.htm) rather than an original contribution, which presumably carries less weight. I don't think burdening the SEC with copy-pasted activist spam will make any friends there or help the cause. Here's a post I wrote for boingboing on Friday, which gives the instructions above, along with some background: http://www.boingboing.net/2010/07/03/sec-crowdfunding-exe.html Since that boingboing post, scores of people have tweeted this campaign, which certainly helps to raise awareness-- but meanwhile only two have actually emailed comments to the SEC. I find this disparity in numbers amusing. But anyway, see http://www.sec.gov/comments/4-605/4-605.shtml -- and thanks to Mordicai Knode and Ben Schwartz for the good points and good discussion!
2. In the subject line write "Re: File # 4-605"
3. In the body of the email write "These are comments in regards to a petition for rulemaking change." If you look at the SEC's "How to Submit Comments" page (http://www.sec.gov/rules/submitcomments.htm), disregard the references there referring to an online form, or file numbers beginning with "S7-" or "SR-" -- these are for proposals issued by the SEC, not public petitions like ours. (Thanks to Mitch Silverman and Seth Elliott for clarifying these instructions!) If you like, you can also CC (or BCC) the message to comments at crowdfundinglaw dot com -- this is just for me to archive what's been sent, to see if anything isn't making it onto the SEC site. Explain in your own words what you think of the idea and what your personal interest in it is. Fine with me whether you're for it, against it, or somewhere in between-- the main thing is just to encourage the SEC to consider this issue and open a dialog. Note that if you cut and paste, they will designate your letter as an example of a "Type" (e.g. http://www.sec.gov/comments/4-547/4547typea.htm) rather than an original contribution, which presumably carries less weight. I don't think burdening the SEC with copy-pasted activist spam will make any friends there or help the cause. Here's a post I wrote for boingboing on Friday, which gives the instructions above, along with some background: http://www.boingboing.net/2010/07/03/sec-crowdfunding-exe.html Since that boingboing post, scores of people have tweeted this campaign, which certainly helps to raise awareness-- but meanwhile only two have actually emailed comments to the SEC. I find this disparity in numbers amusing. But anyway, see http://www.sec.gov/comments/4-605/4-605.shtml -- and thanks to Mordicai Knode and Ben Schwartz for the good points and good discussion!
