[ NNSquad ] Google, ISPs, and "Monopolies"

[Lauren Weinstein <lauren@vortex.com>]

Anti-net-neutrality forces seem to have converged on a common set of
talking points where they attempt to use a spurious "but Google is
worse" defense to explain away the anti-competitive ISP situation
in the U.S.

Even a cursory examination of the Internet environment demonstrates
the inanity of the comparison.  

ISPs control *all* access to *all* Internet services for most
consumers and businesses.  Google, like every other Internet
service, is literally at the mercy of ISPs to pass along user
traffic appropriately.

What's more, for most consumers, practical, affordable choices of
broadband ISPs are limited to two in the U.S.  In many areas, that's
reduced to one.  A surprising number of people can't get affordable
broadband at all.  Wireless ISPs remain a niche segment, which while
large in terms of the number of providers, is very small in terms of
market penetration.  Line of sight issues, outside antenna
requirements, or costs currently make wireless an impractical choice
for routine broadband access for the majority of consumers.

So as a practical matter, ISP choices are very limited, and the ability
of consumers to choose among competing ISPs, and then to rapidly switch,
is similarly constrained.

Google on the other hand is in an entirely different situation.  Not
only are they dependent on ISPs to reach their users, but users have
the ability switch away from Google to a range of competing search,
e-mail, and other services almost instantly.  

Let's not confuse Google's large market share with the sorely limited
ISP marketplace.  Google's share is based almost entirely on consumer
satisfaction -- by individual users, by sites that use their ad and 
analytics services, and so on.  Yes, in total Google collects a lot
of data across the Internet ecosystem, but this is almost entirely the
result of voluntary decisions by users at various levels, not the result
of an artificially constrained marketplace as in the case of ISPs.

Google consistently ranks very high in consumer satisfaction for a
range of Internet services.  Yet ask people how they feel about
their DSL or Cable provider, and outpourings of affection for these
ISPs are usually not exactly forthcoming.  Telephone and cable
companies still tend to rank very low on customer satisfaction lists.

Whenever people try to blur the difference between ISPs and Google
in their arguments, it should be treated as a red flag that something
disingenuous this way comes.

--Lauren--
NNSquad Moderator