Vice President of the European Commission Neelie Kroes writes a blog about Cloud computing and Data protection reform, a subject challenged by many who also challenge Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA).
I am for the perpetuation of a free-market on the internet, but not if that purported compliance creates a free-for-all that violates free-market principles. It is a myth that free-markets do not require regulations, but those regulations need to be deployed with the proper recognition of what those free-market principles are. The latter is where most regulations fall apart and in turn, do more harm than good.
Here is my commentary to Neelie’s blog posted on the European Commission’s website:
The internet for the first time forces countries to adopt a singular economic system across its distribution and that puts enormous pressure on the agreements needed between countries.
While on the surface the U.S. proclaims to be in support of free-markets (and I am, living and working there), the implementation of a free-market requires regulations so every participant enjoys the same definition of freedom, and protects other participants using that same definition.
Free-markets are not a free-for-all, meaning you are allowed to just do what you want. The way financial systems in violation of free-market principles have been able to run amuck with our economic systems. The implementation of a true free-market system can now, really for the first time, implemented globally with the internet as its distribution.
I applaud Neelie’s work to balance the defunct free-for-all with meaningful regulation that secures everyone’s definition of freedom. But I would suggest to tread carefully, for I see those who do not understand the basic fundamentals of a free-market implement regulations that throw the economic baby out with the bath water all to frequently.
The original article can be found here.
