THE AFF NETWORK

June 15, 2006

Should the government regulate the net?

On Thursday, June 15, 2006, AFF hosted the roundtable, "Network Neutrality: Should Government Regulate the Internet?" Supporters of network neutrality paint a bleak picture of the Internet�s future absent neutrality provisions, claiming that network providers will degrade or block the content of competitors or otherwise unfairly interfere with the delivery of content to consumers. Meanwhile, opponents say that the regulations will inhibit network innovation, limit consumer choice in network provision, and protect companies like Google, Amazon, and eBay from competition.

Will the dire predictions of advocates on both sides of the debate really come true, or is net neutrality just business as usual in the annals of rent-seeking? And can a conservative case be made in favor of government regulation? Answering those questions were James Gattuso, senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation; Patrick Ross, senior fellow and VP for communications at Progress & Freedom Foundation; Alex Curtis of government affairs manager at Public Knowledge; and Frannie Wellings of Free Press. Jerry Brito of the Mercatus Center moderated the discussion. This event took place on Capitol Hill, in the Rayburn House Office Building,

Audio

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