The old saying,” That if something is too good to be true, it usually is too good to be true,” may soon apply to the Internet. Today in a flash so much information is available for free. Websites, Google searches, information centers, sports scores and games, are available now at no cost. Mark my words, not for long.
We are now living in the golden era of the Internet and that curtain may be falling very soon. The reason is greed. Yes corporate greed is coming to the Internet. Signs of it are already showing up. Think of minute long advertisements you now must endure before getting to a link site. CEO’s are now dreaming of ways to increase their multi-million dollar bonuses by skimming money off the Internet.
Huge corporations are plotting to buy their way into Internet companies to get control of a piece of what they see as a gold mine. Originally the idea was Internet advertising was going to be the gold in the mine. But then pioneer firms like the N.Y.Times, found out the advertising revenue wasn’t going to be enough. In order to save the downward trending reality of print journalism the Times started to charge for access to their website after a limited amount of hits. The Washington Post is now planning to do like wise. But this is the tip of the iceberg. Already many people pay home Internet access charges through their cable or phone company. Someday those small fees will start to grow.
I am guessing Google searches will no longer be free after a certain amount per month. Then one by one websites will demand membership fees such as the folks at Facebook have been reported to be discussing.
When the power outage of the last few storms affected the Internet, businesses and individuals alike learned how dependent they are becoming to this golden age of Internet. There can be no doubt corporate greed will work its way into this void and seek to control it for profit. The government no doubt will join in to tax it. Let’s face it; the low cost and total availability of the Internet is too good to be true, just like $.23 a gallon gas was back in 1966.
