NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] Playing Hardball Against Net Neutrality
Playing Hardball Against Net Neutrality
Today while reading "Navarrow Wright: Who Pays the Price for Net
Neutrality?" ( http://bit.ly/73KdDs [Huffington] ), I was reminded
of an interesting incident from the recent past.
A relatively small number of years ago, a well-spoken, obviously highly
intelligent gentleman pulled me aside at an Internet-related conference
and offered me a few words of advice.
He worked as a major lobbyist for a non-telecom-related industry
that I hold in considerable personal disdain, but his words rang
true then and still do now.
In essence, he said, "If you don't learn how to play the game the way
the big boys play it, they're going to steamroll over you, your
colleagues, and the policy causes that you care about. And rest
assured, your issues are going to be attracting the big boys, and
they're not going to be on your side."
Every day now I see more proof that he was right, as I watch
the tactics rolled out against Net Neutrality and other issues
generally opposed by the dominant ISPs.
These tactics spew forth from financial war-chests vastly larger than
can be found on the pro-Neutrality side, and apply time-tested
techniques of misinformation and character assassination that have
been so successful in many areas over the years and centuries,
including but not limited to:
--- The Big Lie
Keep repeating a mantra, like "Google Gets a Free Ride on the
Internet" over and over again. No matter how many times it's
explained and demonstrated how this isn't true, just keep
repeating, loudly and with as much cash backing you up as
possible. If you're louder and have the funds to continue
longer than your adversary, the odds go decisively in your
favor.
--- Divide and Conquer
A favorite of tyrants throughout recorded history, this simply
involves using whatever techniques are necessary to convince
natural allies that they can't trust each other. In the
Internet context, we're seeing this now with disingenuous and
bogus attempts to portray Net Neutrality as being a danger
to minority group broadband deployment interests.
Unless those individuals and groups who favor Net Neutrality and
related issues are willing to seriously "play the game" in these
battles with sufficient resources, the predictions of my surprise
"advisor" about steamrollers and "flattened" causes seem all too
likely to come true.
--Lauren--
NNSquad Moderator