[CLUE-Talk] FCC Deregulation Debate

[Jed S. Baer]

On Wed, 29 Jan 2003 15:15:56 -0700
Randy Arabie <randy at arabie.org> wrote:

> > I just finished up _The Future of Ideas_, by Lawrence Lessig. There
> > are some interesting topics[0] he covers in that book, and many deal
> > with the issues of control...in some cases, government has caused
> > and/or enforced oligarchies and monopolies via "regulation", so I
> > guess it all depends on what is meant by "deregulation". 

> In the preface he talks a bit about his first book, _Code and Other Laws
> of Cyberspace_.  Have you, or anyone on the list, read it?

Yep. Great book -- a "must read", I think. The basic notion is that code,
by itself, regulates. The degree to which it does, of course, is dependent
upon the code. But also, that within cyberspace, there are many forms of
regulation, some of which are strong societal norms, e.g. MUDs. But it
goes much deeper than that. Because the degree to which code regulates can
be determined by end-users (via demand), corporations (via their goals),
or by a regulating body, such as the U.S. govt. The question is, which is
better?

Written in 1999, the book is amazingly prophetic. For just one example,
look at the huge discussion going on now regarding the DMCA, and other DRM
issues. How will code regulate? Who will make those decisions?

jed
-- 
I wouldn't even think about bribing a rottweiler with a steak that
didn't weigh more than I do. -- Jason Earl