INTERNET REGULATION

AT ISSUE:

Internet Taxation E-Commerce Limits Consumer Privacy Censorship and Pornography Visas for Skilled Workers Research Funding Encryption Technology Exports The Internet's Role in Education

In the far corners:

LEFT

Free access to all information, regardless of content. No censorship; parents should be responsible for what their children see and do over the internet. Educate consumers so that they can choose how much personal information is disclosed when they are connected. Protect American labor unions by limiting the number of temporary visas available to skilled foreign workers. Support and increase federal spending on research and development. Increase subsidies for education enabling every student to have Internet access.

RIGHT

Create stricter anti-pornography and anti-obscenity regulations and prosecute internet pornographers. Support legislation requiring schools and libraries to have filtering technology to prevent children from having access to questionable or unsuitable materials. Strict parental control over content access. Eliminate cap on temporary work visas for skilled foreign workers. Regulate Internet commerce to prevent illegal sales of pharmaseuticals and alcohol. Strong opposition to Internet taxes. Evalute Encryption and computer exports with concern for national security. Supports government backed military and defense-related research and development.

OVERVIEW

When it comes to platform positions on the Internet, the biggest divide between parties and ideologies occurs on the subject of censorship. The farther to the conservative right a candidate stands, the more content regulation, mandatory filtering and censorship her or she supports. Some staunch conservatives promote the creation of new enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute Internet pornography and obscenity. The liberal left view of this same issue is "hands off my Internet" - staunchly defending the right of both content providers and consumers (including parents) to exercise personal judgement on what material is appropriate. However, the gulf between these positions is steadily narrowing, with many Republican candidates going on record to state that they feel that self-regulation, combined with filtering software, is generally working to protect children from accidental exposure to unsuitable materials.

On virtually every other issue, both liberal and conservative factions have a surprising amount of agreement. Despite some concern from the Democrates, no major candidate has come out in favor of Internet taxes, everybody wants to see more research and development and the majority favor, to some degree, loosening of controls on both computer and encryption technology exports so long as national security is not at risk. Except for the anti-corporate types on the political fringes, the overwhelming consensus is that encouraging the continuing development of the Internet is good for America because it is good for business and the economy. ANALYSIS: It's pretty amazing how many candidates have no opinion on a variety of Internet regulation issues. We suspect that's because they haven't yet moved themselves into the technology era - computers are a tool their staff uses to produce reports and the 'Net is something over which you hit volleyballs. Those that are computer savvy and do have an opinion all seem to think that, gosh, that Internet thingy is a darned good idea - except for all those rotten pornographers who are trying to infiltrate our schools and corrupt our young'uns. Or maybe they really have tried to use a search engine lately and are tired of being distracted by all those "hot, nubile young GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS!" Overall, this is one of those issues that most major candidates can shake hands on, therefore it's unlikely to become a political hot potato during the 2000 campaigns.