Techie Warns Against 'Regulatory Creep'
Sean Garrett over at The 463 blog posted some thoughts about Sen. Mark Pryor's child protection bill, which won Senate Commerce Committee approval on Thursday. The measure would direct the FCC to study advanced blocking tools that could keep kids from viewing inappropriate content (see Technology Daily's coverage for more).
He writes: "Regulation doesn't have to happen in a big swooping gesture. More frequently, it happens through little drips -- until suddenly you're standing in three feet of water. Well, kids, the roof just sprung a leak."
While the Arkansas Democrat's intentions are sincere, the legislation could pose serious unintended consequences, Garrett said. "It's the regulatory creep toward treating Internet and wirelessly delivered video the same as broadcast content… Efforts in the name of protecting kids could be the bridge drug toward justifying regulations across platforms."
Adam Thierer at the Progress and Freedom Foundation also has concerns about the bill.
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