Rep Scalise: Regulating Web companies threatens Internet freedom

Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), the chairman of the influential Republican Study Committee, argued that regulation of up and coming Web companies should be viewed as "attacks on Internet freedom at large."

Speaking at the State of the Net conference in Washington, Rep Scalise encouraged lawmakers and federal agencies to use a light touch on governing the Internet, saying that it has flourished on its own over the years. "When there isn't market failure, the government should just stay away," Rep Scalise said. "These efforts to regulate important stakeholders across the entire Internet ecosystem should be viewed as attacks on Internet freedom at large." "Even if the government picks winners and losers in the fiscal market ... we should hold the Internet to a higher standard," he added. "The Internet is just too important to go down that slippery slope."