TechCrunch (via the WashingtonPost) has recently published an article stating what should be the Digital Bill of Rights to protect consumers. With the Internet age in full-swing, and Election '08 in the near future, what better time than now to present a plan of action for laws and regulations regarding the Internet? Many laws governing the Internet are quite outdated and can't keep up with the daily advances in technology...as food for thought: What if laws had never been changed with the inception of modern mail carriers? Imagine the same laws were still completely intact even with the transition from the Pony Express to the modern-day United States Postal Service. Could that work? Could a law regarding the Pony Express still govern the actions of USPS?
Issues such as copyright infringement, net neutrality, and digital privacy are difficult to govern, mainly because they are creations of the modern era of technology. Maybe it is time to dust off the books and create some new laws that can maintain a degree of control and consistency over rapidly expanding technology. Many laws do not protect users' Internet privacy and allow companies to spy on us and record our information so they can build a profile of our web surfing habits. The Digital Bill of Rights would be a step in the right direction to create updated laws that can protect consumers from ISPs, marketing companies, device manufacturers, and even the government itself.
Presented in the article is the author's own Digital Bill of Rights, which he asks users to help further refine. Maybe our candidates can use this as a starting point and get the ball rolling in the right direction.
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