Feedback Lost — Net Neutrality

It May Sound Nice, But It Is Just Bad Policy Following Bad Policy

Internet providers are evil. They are always cutting off our access to sites and dictating what we can view. Oh, wait…. well they might start! I think one tried once. It is only a matter of time, people!

Enter the government to protect us from interfering, oppressive giants! Wait… who? Boy, this sounds dangerous on so many fronts.

There is a big red banner at the top of this page demanding I get angry. And I want to be, why do we want more government nonsense? That’s right, the government has screwed me more times than Comcast. Not that both aren’t, but who gave Comcast their monopoly-like status anyway? … Government. So now we need more interference to protect us from what they might do. Boy, this sounds dangerous on many fronts.

But let’s be more principled, scientific, and experimental about this.

What we need is a deep learning process. We need an engine of experimentation — enter “the market”. We need feedback mechanisms — pay for what you use. We need accountability — provide value at a profit or go out of business.

In an unaltered market system, providers would be free to experiment. They could slow or limit band-width (their competitors will win). They could charge more for usage (sorry this is not a B2C issue… little value) or generation (B2B… make Netflix pay! only they won’t… too much leverage). The only reason this hasn’t worked yet is… government interference in the feedback process.

For those who are having a difficult time connecting with “feedback”, read “information” or “intelligence”. Not all feedback becomes this, but that is not its fault (it is yours). Net neutrality will make society less informed, less intelligent.

And while we are at it, so does nearly every law, regulation, or constraint. Sometimes we need less freedom to keep us safe (never as often as they claim), but their is something wholly wrong with “less freedom to keep us free”. Boy, this sounds dangerous on so many fronts.

Cherish Feedback, Experimentation, and Freedom

It is simple —align costs and value. Allow companies and markets to freely experiment and society (the people, not government) will chose the winners and losers. If Comcast chooses a model that annoys everyone, they will go out of business. The fact that we all know they would lobby their asses off for a government bail-out is no reason to destroy the feedback systems. Castrate the government — not our feedback loops!

Brought to you by Analysts for a Smarter Solution… the acronym is unfortunate but our principles are solid. Please refer all dissenting views to the complaints department — or the comments below.