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Will new Internet laws help or hurt you?

by donhx
5 replies
PayPal is gearing up for what they say will be more regulation of the Internet. It will no longer be the "Wild West" we have known. How do you think this might change the way you do business?

Michale Barnett, head of security for PayPal told CNET:

"We believe we're now entering a period where more regulation of the Internet is likely inevitable and the question is what should that safety framework look like to make the Internet a safer place than it is today? It's likely the U.S. government will do something this year. I would like to see an increase in funding for cyber law enforcement which is surprisingly inadequate."
#hurt #internet #laws
  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Difficult to predict without any details, of course, but I suspect it'll gradually but increasingly benefit most of us who do business openly, honestly and ethically.

    More regulation's likely to improve collective "customer consciousness" of internet marketing, I think. Overall. In the long run.

    There'll be people whingeing about it, of course, but they're probably part of the problem, not part of the solution. It's kind of ironic that whenever there's "more regulation", those who resent and complain about it the most tend to be the very same people whose collective ethics and behavior have (at least indirectly) caused and produced it.
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  • Profile picture of the author WebRank1
    It depends under whose 'authority' those laws are formed and enforced.
    Fore example; I would feel uncomfortable as a Spanish citizen to be regulated by US Government.
    I think that is and has been the major issue so far. Under who's authority is this going to be and who is going to put in the man power to regulate?
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by WebRank1 View Post

      I would feel uncomfortable as a Spanish citizen to be regulated by US Government.
      I hear you there ... but US law does already affect us Europeans.

      I'm in the UK, my sites are hosted in Europe, if I sold my own products I'd be selling them in Europe (even to US customers: the sale itself would take place in Europe, under international law), and so on. FTC regulations don't strictly apply to me.

      But they do apply to people on whom my business depends, for practical purposes. Aweber and Clickbank are subject to them, for instance. If I had sites hosted in the US, the host might enforce them in contractual regulations, and so on.

      US regulations, and policies in accordance with US regulations, do inevitably spread in so far as their practical applications are concerned. There's a well-known autoresponder company based in South Africa. The "Cann-spam" legislation doesn't affect them, but (rightly and understandably) they more or less act as if it did, because they need to be able to attract US clients.

      I don't have to have an "affiliate disclosure" on my current websites, but I choose to do so voluntarily, partly because I feel more honest that way and partly because I feel (strongly) that having it there actually increases my conversion-rates.

      So ... I'm not complaining at all about US internet regulations, but they do affect me, at least to some extent, and will doubtless continue to do so.

      I think they'll help me, in the long run, anyway. And if they weed out some more of the scammers and crooks, that'll help me even more (like it'll help so many of us).
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  • Profile picture of the author donhx
    None of us know what those laws will be yet, but if the head of security at PayPal says they're coming, I believe him. And as several have said, American laws seem to affect everyone.

    Personally, I'd say the less regulation the better. Generally, laws are made so governments can tax people, or fine them if they do not comply. Laws serve other purposes, but they are often enacted to generate revenue for government.

    The old adage is true: "Laws are made for two two reasons: To keep you from doing something you want to do, or to force you to do something you don't want to do."
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  • Profile picture of the author WebRank1
    I understand some US laws already affect me, for instance PayPal would share my information with US Government within a heartbeat if asked for it, as would Facebook, Google, ClickBank and what not.

    But if they are talking about making things 'safer' and 'law enforcement' it sounds to me like criminal law or penal law and I am no expert by any means but I don't think FTC for example should be able to prosecute an European citizen.
    If an US citizen has been hurt by an European citizen I would be OK if the US decided to prosecute to the end of their reach.

    But with these 'cyber laws', if I am an Italian citizen that hurts another Italian citizen by taking his PayPal money without delivering the good, does that make it a national matter or is it a 'cyber' matter.
    If I am an Italian citizen scamming a German citizen, who is the authority to prosecute? The US or Germany or should Italian law enforcement step up?
    Who is going to prepare the indictment? US officials, German officials or Italian officials (thus who is paying for the man-hours).
    Who is going to prosecute?
    Should the plaintiff be the hurt citizen and thus making this a civil case for damages?

    No matter how you spin it, if they are after a criminal 'cyber' law it is going to be an international law thus requiring an international court. If you take a look at what the cost are to run a International Criminal Court (The Hague) or an International Court of Justice (also The Hague) it is not do able if we are talking PayPal disputes. Not to mention the paperwork involved.

    I don't see it happening but if things are properly designed and executed I would welcome such laws because in the end, the internet in it's current state is very free and vulnurable to fraud, criminal offenses and other unwanted elements.
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