I wrote a follow-up piece this morning for Internet Evolution’s ThinkerNet page arguing the role of the U.S. as internet leader is under threat:
Despite being the country most responsible for inventing and building the Internet, the U.S. is now in danger of being overtaken in the world it created. Thanks to poor government leadership on the issue so far this decade, the U.S. is falling further behind industrialized nations in broadband penetration.
As we proceed through one of the most interesting presidential elections in generations, we must remain focused on how these candidates will help ensure the nation’s economic competitiveness in an era where data can move so effortlessly across borders and oceans.
Remaining preeminent in Internet technology can’t just be the work of Silicon Valley and tech entrepreneurs in Seattle, Austin, New York, or Boston. We must remember that the Internet has always advanced because of ongoing investment in research and technology by federal and state governments. Today’s worrisome situation is due to the fact that the government has in recent years seemed uninterested in addressing issues like broadband access, the digital divide, and fostering new generations of technology.
I discuss in “The First Campaign” at some length the challenge of the digital divide and our sparse tech infrastructure and so I couldn’t agree with this commenter more: “We (probably) still have the lead in terms of companies formed around Internet applications, but you’re absolutely right, if we fail to make it easy and cheap and powerful and flexible for all citizens to use the Internet, and if we fail to continue to invest (belated thanks to Al Gore for pushing the early funding), then we will lose the next generation.”
This election should be all about the “next generation” and how they (we) will we compete in this new world.
Recent Comments