Net Neutrality Part2
April 6th 2007 14:43
Hopefully I will be able to write this, get it done and not get called a pervert or pedophile. In this case however, I am going to point out the benefits of regulating the internet. Please do not hate me for this. As a logical human being I have to analyse both sides of an arguement, not simply knee-jerk a reaction (no matter how much fun it might be).
After a brief browse at a few articles dealing with why regulation is a good thing I have managed to boil down the main points as to why people (I am saying people not companies or governments) want the internet regulated. You want your kids to be safe. Fair enough. I will want my kids to be safe too when I have them. You don't want them to watch porn or look at naughty things? Fine, I am with you. You don't want them stalked by pedophiles? Fine, I don't want that either. But is that all you are after? Well easy. Not a problem. But here's the rub of it. Your government does not have the personal responsibility of monitoring whether your kids have the ability to access offensive material or not. There are two people that do. You, your partner. After that, well, it is no one else's responsibility. Hire an IT expert for an hour, get them to place blockers in place. Install firewall software, chat monitors, etc. Easy? Very. Cheap? Might cost you $100.00. After that, no problem.
The other reason that the internet might have to be regulated is a very interesting one and actually does have some kind of ethical and legal basis. The amount of free to air media that has been stolen from a range of different suppliers is staggering. TV shows, movies, music, pictures..... You name it you can acquire it from somewhere. Now, many would say that ripping off a large company is fair because they do it to everyone else. Hmmm. Interesting ethical ground. Viacom is apparently sueing youtube for the amount of their content that is on their without their permission. Some would say fair enough. I'll leave you to argue it out. But the point stands. Companies do get ripped off. My own company can get very undercut from online retailers that can sell the same thing cheaper because they have no overhead. Media companies get screwed over by people stealing content. Would regulation help get rid of this? Well, probably not. Not unless every country played along by the same rules. So, doesn't really get us anywhere.
As far as government stuff goes I will have to leave that for later. It's late and I have had a big day today.
Peace out,
JZ
After a brief browse at a few articles dealing with why regulation is a good thing I have managed to boil down the main points as to why people (I am saying people not companies or governments) want the internet regulated. You want your kids to be safe. Fair enough. I will want my kids to be safe too when I have them. You don't want them to watch porn or look at naughty things? Fine, I am with you. You don't want them stalked by pedophiles? Fine, I don't want that either. But is that all you are after? Well easy. Not a problem. But here's the rub of it. Your government does not have the personal responsibility of monitoring whether your kids have the ability to access offensive material or not. There are two people that do. You, your partner. After that, well, it is no one else's responsibility. Hire an IT expert for an hour, get them to place blockers in place. Install firewall software, chat monitors, etc. Easy? Very. Cheap? Might cost you $100.00. After that, no problem.
The other reason that the internet might have to be regulated is a very interesting one and actually does have some kind of ethical and legal basis. The amount of free to air media that has been stolen from a range of different suppliers is staggering. TV shows, movies, music, pictures..... You name it you can acquire it from somewhere. Now, many would say that ripping off a large company is fair because they do it to everyone else. Hmmm. Interesting ethical ground. Viacom is apparently sueing youtube for the amount of their content that is on their without their permission. Some would say fair enough. I'll leave you to argue it out. But the point stands. Companies do get ripped off. My own company can get very undercut from online retailers that can sell the same thing cheaper because they have no overhead. Media companies get screwed over by people stealing content. Would regulation help get rid of this? Well, probably not. Not unless every country played along by the same rules. So, doesn't really get us anywhere.
As far as government stuff goes I will have to leave that for later. It's late and I have had a big day today.
Peace out,
JZ
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Comment by Nina
For media companies, steps can (and are) being taken to curb illegal sharing. With TV shows in particular, having official downloadable clips and episodes will curtail the content being put up on youtube or shared through peer to peer systems.
Of course there have to be measures in place when dealing with issues of legality, but lawmakers have to deal with issues of fair use and jurisdiction first, instead of hysterically trying to censor the net.
Comment by JoshZ
Yes, nerds do tend to stand together against anyone that would take away their right to rip off large corporations which only want to rip them off.
I think in regards to lawmakers with the whole making fair laws that it should not be done by companies or corporate sponsored lawyers. And it should be in good old plain english so everyone knows where they stand. The thing about the law is that too many times it ends up being on the wrong side.....
JZ
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
You're right...ze parents need to step to the plate.
Comment by JoshZ
The other thing worth thinking about is the fact that the largest companies online are the ones that the parents want to keep their kids away from.
Parents, don't touch our internet because you are scared. We nerds have big sticks and boards with nails in them. Wear your ovaries on the outside and take responsibility.
JZ