Re: <nettime> Google's fast track

[John Young <jya@pipeline.com>]

Lessig is wrong, and his apologia for the WSJ account is
a waffle or worse, an attempt to deflect critique of his
wrongness. May Obama take note.

Key concept of Lessig's wrongess is "greater access to the 
Internet for those able to pay for it." As if that is sufficient to
justify exploitation of a public utility not solely, nor intended to
be, a commercial operation. 

Call it privatization by checkbook, call it the Russia model. 

First build a system with public funds and develop it and promulgate 
its usefulness with low- or no-paid public participation, and then 
once it success is assured, take it private, Web 2.0 it. 

Call it the Google no-ads addiction, then voo-doo users with meds 
upon meds. Same for the Microsoft OS, Facebook, Twitter, 
YouTube, and more.

It's all about rewarding investors before all else while calling 
it public service. Call it the FCC model. Dare Obama appoint
Lessig to that post? You bet, along with other obliging commishes 
custom-trained by ICANN.

Exclusive commercialization of some part of the Internet may 
be unstoppable but there is nothing wrong about demanding the
dot-coms invent, develop, staff and pay for their peddling apparatus 
completely separtate from the public education part. 

Call that exclusively commercial Internet "Intellnet 2.0," for it will 
be all about spying on users in secrecy just like the government 
spies do while users are divertingly entertained with fantasies
of empowerment.

Commingling commerce with the public Net is as wrong as
expecting the government to protect privacy.


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