Internet Free-for-All

As a follow-up to my 12/12/17 post regarding Net Neutrality and the prediction that the FCC would rollback regulations against the ISPs - the internet is now in a retooling phase.

Elections have consequences and one is a move to deregulated internet access. What this means is that the ISPs (the cable and telco internet providers) will now be trying out paid prioritization business models in the not to distant future.

The FCC and Justice Department will be watching closely as this saga unfolds. There is a sense that this move by the FCC levels the playing field in terms of regulation as it relates to net neutrality and the growing attention on social media and search platforms and off of the ISPs (which have shouldered the heavy gatekeeper regulations).  All this, while the internet mavens (called edge providers) like Google, Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, et. al. remained the innovative upstarts, even as their annual revenues rivaled that of most countries GDP.

My feeling is that this new deregulation is good for the internet overall; however, look for scrutiny to continue on both the ISPs and edge providers by not only the FCC and DOJ but Congress as well. 

Keep in touch,
Jim Lavorato