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June 16, 2006
Net Neutrality vs. Internet Freedom
By: Alex Epstein
Microsoft, Google, and other supporters of "Net Neutrality" legislation claim that they are protecting freedom on the Internet. But, said Alex Epstein, a fellow at the Ayn Rand Institute, "Any law enforcing 'Net Neutrality' would be a terrible blow to Internet freedom."
"Just as cable companies have a right to apportion their bandwidth between Internet and television data, so Internet providers have a right to apportion their bandwidth between standard and premium Internet data."
"'Net Neutrality' laws would forcibly prevent network owners from selling innovative services to their customers," said Epstein. "Shame on Microsoft and Google for trying to deny their competitors the freedom that has made the Internet great."
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Alex Epstein is a fellow at the Ayn Rand Institute. Mr. Epstein's Op-Eds on business and government regulation have been published in major newspapers such as the Detroit Free Press, Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, Arizona Republic, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Orange County Register.
By David Holcberg:
Cable and phone companies have no obligation to treat all Internet traffic
equally. If these companies judge it to be in their self-interest to sell
speedier delivery to certain content providers, they should be free to do
so.
Just as FedEx and UPS are free to charge their customers for faster
delivery, so should cable and phone companies.
The idea that cable and phone companies cannot offer superior services to
some of their customers is an attack on their freedom. As owners of their
networks, they have the right to run their businesses as they see fit.
Posted by ARImedia at June 16, 2006 2:56 PM
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