I just polled my students on the net neutrality debate. Before I explained my take, unsurprisingly the majority of the class voted for saving net neutrality. ZERO supported ISP on this issue. I don't know how many switched sides after my discussion, but here was what I said to them:
Current net neutrality is unfair because senior citizens who only use the Internet for emailing subsidize young adults who use video downloading extensively. As long as there is a functioning market for the Internet service providers, we really do not need to worry much about censorship or choking of innovations. When Comcast wants to limit your access to iTunes, there will be competitors trying to differentiate themselves from Comcast by offering all-you-can-it Internet service. Just look at cellular plans. However, if the ISP market is not perfectly competitive, we are better off saving net neutrality. A couple of oligarpolies indeed will take advantage of consumers.
Hopefully, the message had gone through. After all, economic thinking, not the political ideas, is what we need to teach them in Economics Departments.
(Picture: current.com)
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