Rigid Net Neutrality Rules Would Hamper Innovation, May Says

Rigid net neutrality rules could hamper the launch of innovative new services, like a Sprint plan that lets subscribers only connect to Facebook or another social media site, or a T-Mobile decision to waive data charges when subscribers use music services like Pandora, Rhapsody and Spotify, said Free State Foundation President Randolph May in a Monday blog post. “I have not heard of any meaningful consumer discontent with the plans,” May wrote. “To the contrary, I surmise that consumers welcome the additional options, especially low-income or budget-conscious consumers who either are unable or unwilling to pay for wireless plans that are not limited in some fashion.” But some net neutrality advocates want to limit access to these plans on the ground that they discriminate by picking edge providers "to favor, say Facebook over the ‘next-Facebook,’ or certain music sites over others, or music sites over poetry sites,” May wrote. May said he fears a “pronounced proclivity” among FCC Democrats to “elevate supposed potential harms to edge providers (especially non-existent ones, such as the ‘next Google or next [fill in the blank’]) above real-world consumer welfare benefits.”