The net neutrality panic of 2017 is based on ignorance of the laws that already prevent what they fear

Daily Caller:
MSNBC Anchor Loses Net Neutrality Debate With Former FCC Chairman [VIDEO]

...
He responded to Velshi’s argument that repealing net neutrality might freeze out startups, reminding him that new tech companies like Facebook were created well before 2015.

“So, you have the Federal Trade Commission Act, for instance, you have the Clayton Act and the Sherman Act,” McDowell said. “Those are three very powerful federal statutes that kept the internet open and free prior to February of 2015.”

“What Title II [net neutrality] has done, in the wireless space anyway, is reduce investment in the past two years by 18 percent,” he continued. “We need about $300 billion over the next decade to build out [5G] networks and every independent Wall Street analyst I’ve spoken with says…the 1,000 requirements of Title II has created tremendous uncertainty.”

Velshi, watching his narrative slipping away right in front of his eyes, came up with a scenario where Facebook could subsidize faster internet speeds in exchange for preferential treatment, reducing competition in the overall marketplace.

“Section I and Section II of Sherman Act and Section III of Clayton Act…you just triggered all three of those sections,” McDowell smoothly responded. “That would be an anti-trust violation…that was against the law before February 2015 and it will be against the laws of today.”
...
McDowell again reminded Velshi that the internet grew for 20 years before net neutrality and insisted that the aforementioned scenarios Velshi warned of are already considered illegal.
...
The panic on the left over the repeal of net neutrality seems overwrought.  McDowell points out the laws that already forbid the actions supporters of net neutrality claim will happen without it.  My belief is that in a free market providers are not going to degrade service, they are going to advertise how they will beat their competitors by supplying more for less. 

Belief is control freak regulations seems to dominate on the left, but the free market will provide better service for less.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Should Republicans go ahead and add Supreme Court Justices to head off Democrats

29 % of companies say they are unlikely to keep insurance after Obamacare

Bin Laden's concern about Zarqawi's remains