Busybodies and Thought Police

Back in July, I took a stand on Net Neutrality that ran contrary to what many of my blogging friends believed to be healthy for the future growth of the Internet. Giving way to my (small-l) libertarian leanings, I stated, "Tying up the Internet with needless regulations will only increase the costs of doing business and decrease accessibility."

Today TimesOnline.co.uk reports that the EU is considering legislation that would require amateur bloggers to become licensed in order to post videos online through services such as YouTube, under the pretext of "protecting the children." However, as the article goes on to point out, "British criminal law already covers material that might incite hate or cause harm to children..."

This is just one more practical example of the net effect of typical government regulation. Whether it sits in Europe, Africa, or the Americas, government rarely cedes regulatory power and authority it has already claimed for itself.

They say they're looking for a compromise. Let's hope common sense prevails. - Cam Beck

Comments

[Paul McEnany]

I must say, that's the most compelling argument against Net Neutrality I've heard so far...