Let's tax the internet and escrow the taxes for tax credits for servers, laying pipeline, etc.
One reason for the so often slow use of the net is the damned downloading of multiple jpg's, usually of little interest, and multiple advertisements from various sponsors. And some advertisements change every 5 seconds or so, so you don't just download ~ 9, but rather ~ 12. Just one illustration if you follow golf and want to know about the upcoming Masters, is the CNN page that takes well over a minute to download, at least for me, now.
sportsillustrated.cnn.com
As it is, extra capacity in the system goes mostly for advertising, which mostly does not pay for itself, and has high external costs to the system. One partial solution may be industry as a whole to reduce advertisements, and for providers to charge and provide cleaner page viewing. But no one wants to unilaterally do this. It is a classic "Tragedy of the Commons" problem. With common grazing lands, no one has an incentive to reduce his herd, and so the grounds are overgrazed providing everyone less benefit.
Perhaps we could tax advertisements, and then put that money into the infrastructure (tax credits for servers, etc.). We could tax downloads (sent and receiving). Maybe 1/100th--5/100ths of a cent per each, variable per size and use of off-site imbedded materials. We could tax e-mails, at $.01/per for each one sent (again more money, and discourage SPAMMERS). For the casual user, make it an average cost of maybe $3/month. Of course this would initially be met with great objections, as advertising provides what dwindling revenue there is to internet companies, and no one wants to pay to use the internet. However, if the money went back into the system (credits for servers, etc.) it would provide some rationality to use, and discourage those inefficient and unwanted users and emails.
Llike imposing limits on fishing catches, this would be unpopular among the industry, and yet it would benefit the industry. Doubt, though, there is any chance of this happening. People think we can just grow our way out of the mess, but I doubt it. They'll be sending SPAM with imbedded graphics and video. More pop-ups, etc.
Just something to think about while my stocks are tanking. |
