Net Neutrality regulation right around the corner?

On Friday it was announced by the Obama transition team two new appointments to the FCC review team.? Long time Net Neutrality proponents, Susan Crawford and Kevin Werbach will head the team.

Both are outspoken about the current state of broadband distribution in the US being subpar.? But as Wired and others are pointing out they’re reference of Internet access being a “modern utitility,” is sure to have some wrinkling their eyebrows.

The Internet has without argument been one of the most advanced and fast moving technologies we have ever seen. The opportunity for the government to get its hands on the thing are scary in a number of ways.? But specifically speaking, I personally have two major concerns.? One is that regulation of Internet access as a utility could alter the speed of Internet advancement.? Some may argue that government regulation could speed the way of a nationalized grid of new access points for last-mile providers to build broadband networks in communities that currently do not have access to it.? Those working toward a national power grid may beg to differ though.? And government control of distribution also means government regulation over the network.? Regulation of specific concepts may one day be needed.? But a precautionary principle here is a must, or innovation could be limited.

Secondly, regulation as a utility could mean taxation as a utility.? I’m personally not very excited about paying additional taxes to my last-mile provider so that a government that has not traditionally understood the technology can manage it as a utility.? This also creeps in the possibility of ease of Internet commerce taxation.

We have only seen 13 days of President-elect Obama moves, and government control seems to be a high priority and he isn’t even in office yet…

-nick