In a Wall Street Journal article, “Will the Internet Survive Its 40th?”, columnist George Crovitz, wrote about the exponential pace of technology and asserted that public policy has not kept up. He highlighted the latest debate over Net Neutrality as an example, arguing that technology changes so quickly, many policymakers are drafting legislation that regulates misunderstood or even outdated technologies:

“Technology changes exponentially, but social, economic and legal systems change incrementally.” We’re used to ever-increasing computing power and endless innovation online, but politicians and regulators are left trying to manage technologies beyond their control or understanding.

“The mistake regulators and those who enable them continue to make is trying to micromanage individual technologies or applications,” Mr. Downes writes. “The bottom line is simple. Encouraging infrastructure is good; micromanaging it is bad.”

Crovitz went on to argue competition is the best form of regulation:

The best defense against access providers’ acting unreasonably is more competition.

[…]

In highly regulated industries, regulations become barriers to entry. It’s costly for new competitors to comply with the rules, which are designed for incumbents. As the U.S. falls further behind in broadband, we need more innovation and more competition, not a cozy, regulated cartel.

Crovitz imparts:

Technology may be changing faster than we can keep track, but we are well acquainted with the frailties and foibles of human institutions in Washington. Sometimes it’s wiser for mortals to stand aside and leave technology to advance at its own pace. After its first 40 years delivering freedom and abundance, the Web has earned the benefit of the doubt.

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