Red Herrings and Technology Regulation

Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

Years ago, apparently in response to calls to break up Big Tech, the editor of the National Review wrote that “No government regulator is going to make Google’s searches better, or is qualified to even try.”

The statement itself appears to me to spin away from what was the main point of contention. I don’t think many were arguing they could design better search engine technology. And I don’t think many argued that they could produce oil more efficiently than Rockefeller. But that doesn’t mean that in both cases the people didn’t have the right or good reason to call for increased regulation or even the breakup of arguable monopolies.  

The irony of the editor’s statement is not that it failed to address the salient issue by seemingly spinning to an irrelevant statement. The irony is that even his seemingly irrelevant statement was wrong. Proper regulation (regulation at the technological boundary) does promote the benefits of the technology. Regulating technological controllers to ensure customers are not forced to operate outside the effective technological boundary is a benefit to consumers.