The internet as a relatively self-governed entity has worked well over the last 15 years. It steadily grown and has woven itself into our social fabric. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past decade, you’ve heard of the internet. There isn’t a day that goes by that I do not access the internet. I may not get online a few weekends during the summer months, when I’m backpacking, and even then, if I can get cell signal, I could check my email if needed.
Socially, email and other web related technologies have reduced the distances between my friends and I. My friends in Ottawa are only a few clicks away. I recently added myself to Facebook.com and I was amazed at the amount of people I found that I hadn’t heard of in years: old high school friends, co-workers, university colleagues, etc. Not to mention the new people I met around the world, all thanks to the internet.
The day I signed up for online banking services was the day I stopped missing paying my bills. It wasn’t that I didn’t have the money to pay those bills, but rather I would not pay them on time. Today, I set up automatic payments, and never worry about missing payments.
At Christmas, I purchased a few items online. Costco and Futureshop made it easy for me to do my shopping through the internet which allowed me to avoid overcrowded malls and the dramatic increase in local traffic which I continue to find frustrating. Although I will not deny that the increase in population does translate into additional retail sales which does have a positive impact on our local economy.
If we were to lose the neutrality that currently exists on the internet, I believe it would have an impact on society as a whole, as well a stump the growth and evolution of the internet.
When I first read the article, my initial reaction was: Why would politicians agree to this? It certainly would have a harmful impact on the U.S. economy. Obviously, large corporations would likely survive without issue, but how would it affect small businesses, which rely on the internet to compete with their much larger counterparts? Even more important, should governments be involved in regulating public networks? In my opinion, in order for the innovation to continue, we should leave things as they are.
1 comment:
The internet as a relatively self-governed entity has worked well over the last 15 years.
I have been following this debate in my work with the Hands Off the Internet coalition and completely agree with you. I also view this as one of many reasons why "net neutrality" legislation is both ill advised and unnecessary.
"Net neutrality" as currently defined in legislative proposals in the US goes way beyond the four net neutrality principles, which HOTI supports: Consumers are entitled to access the lawful Internet content of their choice; Consumers are entitled to run applications and use services of their choice, subject to the needs of law enforcement; Consumers are entitled to connect their choice of legal devices that do not harm the network; Consumers are entitled to competition among network providers, application and service providers, and content providers."
This type of proposal would change the relatively self-governed system we have and essentially freeze the broadband market in place while forcing the essential infrastructure upgrade costs to be passed on to consumers.
Carnegie Mellon Professor and “Godfather of the Internet” David Farber and Michael Katz, Chief Economist at the FCC during the Clinton Administration articulate a more pragmatic approach to the issue,
"Public policy should intervene where anti-competitive actions can be identified and the cure will not be worse than the disease. Policymakers must tread carefully, however, because it can be difficult, if not impossible, to determine in advance whether a particular practice promotes or harms competition. Antitrust law generally takes a case-by-case approach under which private parties or public agencies can challenge business practices and the courts require proof of harm to competition before declaring a practice illegal. This is a sound approach that has served our economy well."
I suggest reading their entire editorial
that address many of the problems with enacting net neutrality regulations. Thanks.
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