Yes, bad laws can be written and bad presidents can be elected. However, at least with the government, there is a well established set of mechanism to discover and correct any “errors” that are made. No such mechanism exists with private corporations. As long as the Internet backbone is owned and operated by private corporations, we can only *hope* that they do the right thing. As long as those private corporations are also in the content business, we can be *sure* that our hopes will be in vain.

bob wyman

And how are laws decided? They are decided by politics. And who gets to decide the “interests of the citizens?” Government? The Mob?

The government should be nowhere near the internet, either as its provider or content overseer. If it ever gains control, the only information shared will be government approved.

The distribution system should not be “controlled” but rather “provided.” Those who provide the Internet communications infrastructure should not be in the business of either providing content or making decisions about what others may or may not do with that infrastructure — unless such decisions are needed to ensure the integrity and utility of that infrastructure. Decisions that restrict non-destructive use of infrastructure should only be made by legislatures and courts.

As long as commercial enterprises control the “pipes” then access to those pipes is determined by extra-legal concerns and special interests. Enterprises respond to their stock holders, the personal feelings of their management, and the pull of corporate strategy. With vital infrastructure such as the Internet, only the rule of law and the interests of the citizens should influence decisions about content.

bob wyman

Good catch. Let’s apply what happened here to your post the other day about the internet and the FCC (F the FCC: The internet as interstate). In this case Google decided for whatever reason to shut down blogs critical of Obama. Those sites had an alternative place to go - Wordpress.

Now lets assume Government controlled the distribution system. Does anybody really believe these blogs would have someplace else to go?

One other point regarding your post from the other day. Newspapers always were and still are distribution systems. They own them and and also provide content. Those who want government control over the internet would squeal like stuck pigs if government control over newspaper distribution were proposed.