Timeline for Net Neutrality and Stack Overflow / Stack Exchange
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
6 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 12, 2017 at 16:39 | review | Low quality posts | |||
| Jul 12, 2017 at 18:00 | |||||
| Jul 12, 2017 at 16:11 | comment | added | Servy | As mentioned, the purpose of net neutrality is not to prevent there from being monopolies, or to make it easier for a ISP to be created; it's to attempt to deal with the fact that monopolies are a reality, and to prevent (certain) abuses from those monopolies. While it's not always easy to regulate monopolies, in cases of natural monopolies (in particular, utilities like power, water, phone, and internet) that tends to be the only practical option. In markets that don't have inherent natural monopolies, you're quite right that breaking up the monopolies tends to be easier and more effective. | |
| Jul 12, 2017 at 16:11 | comment | added | Servy | It's not impossible for a new ISP to be created, however because the physical infrastructure is so expensive, it takes an absurd amount of capital to go around and actually provide redundant physical connections to an entire area in order to compete with another ISP in that area. And in the cases where that does happen, one is generally going to run the other out of business (at least in that area) and force them out. Physical utilities are a natural monopoly this way, in that free market forces will push a given region closer and closer to a monopoly over time. | |
| Jul 12, 2017 at 16:04 | comment | added | Goose | @Servy It may be difficult to break into the market, but not impossible or unheard of. Preventing monopolies from abusing their position is much more difficult. Increased competition is often more effective. I would like to know how net neutrality would change the equation for trying to break into the market. | |
| Jul 12, 2017 at 14:33 | comment | added | Servy | No, the idea of net neutrality is to address the fact that ISPs are a natural monopoly. The idea is that since having proper competition isn't practical or reasonable (as is the case for many utilities in general, due to the infrastructure costs) the best option is to have regulations in place to prevent the monopolies from abusing their position. | |
| Jul 12, 2017 at 14:21 | history | answered | Goose | CC BY-SA 3.0 |