Tuesday, November 18, 2003
Another reason to separate conduit from content
The incisively-named Telepocalypse blog, in an article incisively titled "Tits and Bits," says:
Then there's the minor matter of how asking permission kills innovation. A provider of a vertically integrated (content-plus-conduit) network is likely to say, "You want to do what with my network???"
I've been listening for FCC Chairman Mike Powell's understanding of this critical Internet property, but I'm still not sure he has a clear take on the value of separating content from conduit.
The dirty secret of the ISP industry is that the profit is all in illicit chat, dirty pictures and finding ways to get high or get laid (ideally both, simultaneously).Now that's not the only reason to separate conduit from content. There's other kinds of "speech" that might make some users of a network uncomfortable -- but freedom of speech isn't for speech that makes everybody feel comfortable.
The irony is that the telcos with their closed-network closed-system mindset have fallen into a trap. A true end-to-end network operator doesn’t get their brand tarnished by the data that flows over their network. When compelling content equals sex, gambling, porn and general vice, you can’t have it both ways.
Then there's the minor matter of how asking permission kills innovation. A provider of a vertically integrated (content-plus-conduit) network is likely to say, "You want to do what with my network???"
I've been listening for FCC Chairman Mike Powell's understanding of this critical Internet property, but I'm still not sure he has a clear take on the value of separating content from conduit.
Comments:
Post a Comment
