Google Talks Big Talk on Net Neutrality
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Written By Reprise Media | July 5, 2006 | Share This
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While the legislative future of net neutrality is still very much up in the air, Google is warning that they’re ready to take matters into their own hands if push comes to shove.
Not that they’re going to start up with Bronson-esque vigilante moves. Right now Google’s just talking about involving the Justice Department, according to Reuters. Google VP (and Father Internet) Vint Cerf held forth on the subject Tuesday:
“If the legislators…insist on neutrality, we will be happy. If they do not put it in, we will be less happy but then we will have to wait and see whether or not there actually is any abuse…If we are not successful in our arguments…then we will simply have to wait until something bad happens and then we will make known our case to the
Department of Justice’s anti-trust division.”
Well, they’re talking the talk, but whether Google will walk the walk remains to be seen. Internet content providers often summon the specter of monopolies in the broadband space to bolster arguments in favor of net neutrality - and they have a point. Cerf argues that service providers could “attempt to use their control over broadband transport facilities to interfere with services of competitors.” Similarly, telecoms frequently harp on the dangers of government regulation when lobbying against net neutrality. Both sides argue that actions unfavorable to them will stifle innovation.
Techdirt
thinks that waving “the antitrust threat stick” is Google’s way of trying to make the telecoms blink - but that the likes of AT&T (who’s danced the anti-trust dance before) will call Google’s bluff: “In reality, [telecoms] probably realize that any such lawsuit would take many, many years - and by the time it was all decided, it wouldn’t much matter any more.” Maybe not, but at the moment Google at least has the muscle to give its rivals pause.
Topics: Google |