References 15 The Internet, e-commerce, and Government
At the present time, the attitude of Congress toward regulating the Internet and e-commerce can be summarized in two words: "hands off (Bettelheim & Ota, 2000)." Lawmakers at both the national and state levels have apparently been reasonably content to let the digital marketplace develop new technologies and products and create its own rules and governance structures. This is a situation that is about to change, given that recent events such as the acquisition of Time Warner, Inc., by America Online (AOL) are leading the U.S. government to consider whether or not control of the Internet can legitimately be left in the hands of for-profit businesses and the emerging communications conglomerates (Bettelheim & Ota, 2000).
Several critically important issues can be identified that are driving demands for government intervention and regulation. These issues, to be discussed herein, include:
1) the potential of e-commerce practices to foster violations of existing interstate and other commerce regulations;
2) the question of taxation policy with respect to e-commerce retail sales;
3) the use of the Internet as a medium for online voting, public service announcements, tax payments (and other banking/financial activities);
4) the growing "digital divide" that has the potential to further polarize the "haves" and "have nots" of American society; and,
5) questions related to the inherent privacy, security and
safety of Internet commerce, banking, and other activities.
The report identifies the central concerns with respect to each issue that are leading to growing government involvement in Internet and e-commerce regulation.
Bettelheim and Ota (2000) have commented that the debate over the future of the Internet and the government's role in regulating e-commerce and other related activities can be viewed from two perspec...