If the FCC Had Regulated the Internet

http://www.slate.com/id/2279106/pagenum/all

by cwan • 16 years ago

10 4 16 years ago

Holy Libertarian hyperbole:

He convinces the FCC to require right-wing channels to link to left-wing channels, Christian channels to link to Muslim channels, vegetarian channels to link to meat-eating channels. "The [linking] icon itself would not require anyone to read anything," Sunstein writes. "It would merely provide a signal, to the viewer, where a different point of view might be consulted." The FCC approves Sunstein's plan for a "Fairness Doctrine" for the online world, and the FCC sets up a new Bureau of Links to enforce the practice.

gojomo• 16 years ago

The FCC once did enforce a 'fairness doctrine' on broadcasters, and some Democrats occasionally discuss bringing it back.

Meanwhile, some jurisdictions (moreso in Europe) have considered creating a government-enforced 'right of reply', forcing websites to link to opposing viewpoints. And Obama advisor Sunstein has at times advocated (but wisely pulled back from) the same cross-linking and 'sidewalks' mandates that Shafer imagines being implemented:

http://techliberation.com/2009/01/08/what-impact-will-cass-s...

So Shafer's scenario isn't that far-fetched.

nathansobo• 16 years ago

This is silly.

T-R• 16 years ago

I was really hoping for a thoughtful piece discussing a situation where requiring that infrastructure owners not discriminate by content had an overall negative effect.

Sadly, the author just Glenn-Beck-style associates rules requiring fair play with regulation of speech and business decisions because they both can be called "regulation", and goes on to describe how fascism can stifle the growth of good ideas.

tl,dr: Author sets up straw man; author attacks straw man; author concludes all regulation is evil.

If the FCC Had Regulated the Internet

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