by publius
The WSJ has a good policy overview of net neutrality this morning. But the bigger news from the article is that Google (along with other big content providers) appears to be backing away from its support of net neutrality. It’s disappointing and consequential, but not very surprising. [But see the Update on Google’s response to the article below the fold].
Honestly, what’s surprising is that Google, et al., ever supported neutrality requirements. After all, one of the primary justifications for neutrality is that it prevents incumbent entrenchment. In this respect, “pay-to-play” access protects big companies like Amazon and Google from future competition from less well-funded upstarts.
Let’s back up. Remember that what neutrality proponents are trying to prevent is “tiered access.” In this brave new tiered world, Internet access providers (AT&T, Comcast, etc.) want to not only charge you, but to charge companies like Google for “prioritized” access to you. Google would thus pay an additional premium to ensure that your computer gets Google faster than, say, Ask.com who might only be able to afford a lower tier.
In the long run, the fear is that it would fundamentally change the Internet by creating a separate and unequal “lane” for companies who couldn’t afford the higher tiers. Thus, new companies (particularly bandwidth-heavier video sites) would be relegated to an increasingly crowded, congested, and slow lane, while richer companies get the equivalent of a HOV lane free and clear.
Anyway, it makes perfect sense why Google and Amazon would support tiered access. Quite simply, they can afford it and new upstarts (the future thems, if you will) won’t be able to pay. In essence, the established companies would be paying a chunk of their profits to entrench their current success – which of course runs counter to how the Internet should be run (according to the old Google anyway).
But even if it’s predictable, it’s an unfortunate development from a legislative perspective. To win anything in DC, you generally need a well-funded lobbying effort. The only reason net neutrality ever got this far was in part because a lot of these big companies were pushing back, thus providing the Madisonian cross-vector. With that pressure gone, it’s going to be much harder for progressive advocates to get a voice with Congress and the FCC. All in all, bad news.
One last thought – what the hell is wrong with Larry Lessig? More on that below.