Internet regulation decried

A day after a trio of consumer groups called for new Congressional action to kept the Internet open, a non-partisan group promoting individual freedoms has called on lawmakers to avoid any new Internet regulation.

The Center for Individual Freedom, a non-partisan, non-profit organization which says its mission is “to protect and defend individual freedoms and individual rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution” said government regulation could stifle further Internet development and harm consumers in the process. The organization cited a survey of consumers, by the American Consumer Institute, which claims 84% of consumers want the choice to purchase faster, safer and more reliable Internet services. The organization believes government regulation will impede that opportunity.

According to the American Consumer Institute, it did not authorize any use of its study, and is in no way connected to the Center for Individual Freedom.

The Consumer Federation of America, the Consumers’ Union and the Free Press released their own survey Wednesday , claiming consumers want the Internet to open and would back governmental action to keep access open. The groups said Congress or the Federal Communications Commission should take action to prevent network operators from becoming Internet toll booths.

The CFIF said, however, that any governmental regulation of the Internet poses its own problems.

“Organizations calling for 'net neutrality' legislation are misguided,” said Jeffrey Mazzella, president of the CFIF. “These companies hope that, by putting the government in the position of picking winners and losers through regulation, they will end up in the winner's circle. But whenever the government plays such a role, there are very rarely any winners.”

The consumer groups are reacting largely to comments from BellSouth Chief Technology Officer Bill Smith, saying that company is in negotiations with Disney, NetFlix and other content providers to determine if those companies would be willing to pay a premium to get higher-speed access to customers. The comments have sparked a hailstorm of complaint and comment from groups that claim any such premium service amounts to discrimination against smaller content providers and double-dipping, by requiring companies to pay more to each customers who are already paying for high-speed access.

VoIP guru Jeff Pulver weighed in on the issue Wednesday as well, suggesting in his blog that Google block BellSouth access, and recommend its customers use cable modem service for high-speed access instead.