Even if they wanted to regulate it at the time, they would have no idea where to start. The legislative body is, even to this day, not exactly comprised of technologically savvy individuals. Rather, these are people who are very good at acquiring and wielding power, crushing any opposition, and pandering to their core demographics.
So if you told them that, oh, a 'series of electronic tubes' sprang into existence, they would just look at you, scratch their heads, and ask 'but can we tax it?' Oh wait...
In all seriousness, though, the Internet would not be the same if there were meddlesome regulations imposed on it from the very beginning. Openness, freedom and sharing of information, innovation, and experimentation are intricately woven into the DNA of the web; this would simply not be the case with any sort of stifling draconian policies. Entrepreneurs would have little incentive to take the leaps of faith that have since turned the Internet into, at least in Congress' eyes, the economic powerhouse that it is today.
It truly is a wonder that, just now, they are coming around to restricting its freedom (CISPA) and taxing it (the perhaps unintentionally Randian-sounding 'Marketplace Fairness Act'). Not to get all Negative Nancy, but I predict that we are nearing the end of 'The Golden Age of Internet Openness.' Never again will we have this much unfettered and almost-free-as-in-beer access to content and information. Of course I hope this is not the case, but whenever governments get involved and try to 'fix' an industry, it does not bode well for its future.
> Openness, freedom and sharing of information, innovation, and experimentation are intricately woven into the DNA of the web; this would simply not be the case with any sort of stifling draconian policies.
How does taxing meat-space purchases that happen to be done over the internet affect any of these things?
> Entrepreneurs would have little incentive to take the leaps of faith that have since turned the Internet into, at least in Congress' eyes, the economic powerhouse that it is today.
Yes, regulation has eviscerated America's drug industry, its financial industry, its content industry, its defense industry, its rail freight industry, its agricultural industry, etc. Oh wait, no, all of those are preeminent in the world. But it does kill innovation, right? Well no, one of the most innovative companies in the history of the world, that built the world's preeminent telecommunications network of the time, was a de-facto government-sanctioned monopoly (AT&T).
Even if they wanted to regulate it at the time, they would have no idea where to start. The legislative body is, even to this day, not exactly comprised of technologically savvy individuals. Rather, these are people who are very good at acquiring and wielding power, crushing any opposition, and pandering to their core demographics.
So if you told them that, oh, a 'series of electronic tubes' sprang into existence, they would just look at you, scratch their heads, and ask 'but can we tax it?' Oh wait...
In all seriousness, though, the Internet would not be the same if there were meddlesome regulations imposed on it from the very beginning. Openness, freedom and sharing of information, innovation, and experimentation are intricately woven into the DNA of the web; this would simply not be the case with any sort of stifling draconian policies. Entrepreneurs would have little incentive to take the leaps of faith that have since turned the Internet into, at least in Congress' eyes, the economic powerhouse that it is today.
It truly is a wonder that, just now, they are coming around to restricting its freedom (CISPA) and taxing it (the perhaps unintentionally Randian-sounding 'Marketplace Fairness Act'). Not to get all Negative Nancy, but I predict that we are nearing the end of 'The Golden Age of Internet Openness.' Never again will we have this much unfettered and almost-free-as-in-beer access to content and information. Of course I hope this is not the case, but whenever governments get involved and try to 'fix' an industry, it does not bode well for its future.