For over a decade, companies like Google have been pushing for the government to regulate the internet in the name of net neutrality. Net neutrality, simply put, refers to the absence of restrictions or priorities placed on the type of content carried over the internet by the major carriers and ISPs. It states that all content be treated equally and that packets are to be delivered on a first come first serve basis regardless of who sent them or their destination. Google, along with other similar companies, are part of a long going fight over whether the physical intrastructure of the internet will remain a competitive, free market foundation for the broader technology sector and the U.S. economy, or be reduced to a regulative utility or even government owned information network. Google and its allies have argued that a free market, unregulated internet will lead to ISPs blocking websites or disrupting services, wreaking havoc on the internet information community. Google has said that only government intervention can stop this from happening.
So, should the government regulate the internet so that the major internet service providers cannot interfere with information being sent? Or is Google just scared that these ISPs may limit their power?
I don't think that the government should restrict the internet and try to limit its free market characteristics. The government doesn't need to be reaching out its power any more than it already is, and focus more on a laissez faire structure. If Google is concerned with their future business then they just need to step up their game and learn to adapt, thats the point of a free market, keeping competition keeps people on their best game.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Jeanette but one thing we must remember is that, without government regulation, the major ISPs could actually block content that is being sent over the internet. So, for example, if BellSouth wanted to block a data packet (for whatever reason, this is only hypothetical) that they did not agree with, then they could. This scenario will probably never be a big problem because why should ISPs be concerned with what is being sent? Just something to think about.
ReplyDeleteI don't feel any ISP should ever be blocked by a user that is paying for access to the internet. Net neutrality should always remain, but if there are things people shouldn't be able to access they should just not put those things on the internet to begin with. Google being hurt or helped regardless has nothing to do with the picture as a whole.
ReplyDeleteI say as long as the ISP's aren't invading personal information or breaking laws then they should not have regulations set on them by the government. I am a firm believer that guidelines and regulations are needed for structure, but who knows what other problems would be created if we gave the government that kind of power. They are already trying to control the Internet entirely which I think is not a good idea.
ReplyDeleteI think the government needs to stayout of the way. If the government gets there hands around picking winner or loosers it will kill confidents on the world wide web for the consumer. I think the internet should be an openly free enviroment which lets the strongest competitors stay alive.
ReplyDeleteThe government must do their job in protecting society, but that does not mean their should be an intrusion of privacy. In my opinion certain searches and certain websites should have more attention put towards them. Sites like google and wikipedia are doing their best to provide a service to the consumer and if the government becomes too involved we will no longer have that kind of access.
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