Reliance on market mechanisms could lead to “information redlining,” in which economically disadvantaged neighborhoods of little interest to vendors are effectively denied vital information services. Existing non-profit organizations might be threatened.
Predictor: Klein, Hans
Prediction, in context:Hans K. Klein, the New England director for Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility and the leader of the Policy Track at INET ’95, made the following statement in a research presentation at INET ’95, the Internet Society’s 1995 International Networking Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii, June 27-30. At the time he was completing a Ph.D. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s program in Technology, Management, and Policy. Klein says: ”For the first time since 1934, Congress is trying to restructure the regulatory framework that defines who can provide communications services under what competitive conditions. The biggest stakeholders in this legislation are national telecommunications companies like AT&T, regional Bell operating companies (RBOCs), and cable television companies. The new regulations have many public-interest implications as well. The issues are numerous. Reliance on market mechanisms could lead to ‘information redlining,’ in which economically disadvantaged neighborhoods of little interest to vendors are effectively denied vital information services. Existing non-profit organizations might be threatened.”
Date of prediction: June 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Controversial Issues
Subtopic: Digital Divide
Name of publication: ISOC INET '95 (conference)
Title, headline, chapter name: Grassroots Democracy and the Internet: The Telecommunications Policy Roundtable – Northeast USA
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://www.isoc.org/HMP/PAPER/164/txt/paper.txt
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney